


Within the Catacombs

by Kudalyn



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Egypt meets modern day sorta?, Blindshipping, Dark Fantasy, Fantasy, Illustrated, M/M, Mystery, Mythical Creature AU, Puzzleshipping, Slow Burn, Trapped In A Tomb
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2018-07-20 00:04:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 40,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7382950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kudalyn/pseuds/Kudalyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yugi's second Archaeological dig doesn't go quite as planned.</p><p>Fantasy AU of a sorts. Crossposted from <a href="http://kudalyn.tumblr.com/post/146875867293">my tumblr</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

The day they broke through to the next chamber in the tomb was a momentous one.

Yugi had to keep on the workers to make sure damage was kept to a minimum, of course. Even if he was one of the most promising young members of the Archeologist’s Guild, their influence - and money - only went so far. 

He would have rather they paid for better, more honest excavators, Yugi rued, when he sighed at yet another timeless relic irreparably damaged by rough and uncaring hands.

But he was making do with what he had.

“Hey - no, I said be _careful!_ That’s a priceless artifact!” Yugi scolded for the umpteenth time when a worker picked up a pair of what could possibly be canopic jars - one under each arm - carelessly. 

The worker gave Yugi a dry look and rolled his eyes as he brushed past, stepping over the rubble being cleared as Yugi strangled the dust-laden air behind him.

He sighed roughly, coughing a little through his dust-filter - those things only filtered so much. Making a small prayer of apology to whomever’s remains he may or may not be inhaling, he cautiously stepped over the rubble himself, trying to direct workers where they needed to be and yelling at a couple of itchy-fingered excavators when they were looking a little too greedily at the golden inlays on the carved and decorated walls of the chamber.

Coming to a stop at the far end of the chamber - unfortunately there were no open doors or pathways he could see out of this room, which meant even more tragic destruction - he raised his lantern a bit higher, trying to make out the markings and language carefully inscribed in the sandstone.

He heard someone come up behind him - he’d recognize that cough anywhere, it had been disrupting his sleep for two weeks now. 

“Another dead end?” Mr. Teton said, adjusting another paper mask over his face once again - Yugi had counted about 3 filters layered across the man’s mouth in the last two hours of digging alone. He wondered how he could still breathe under there.

“Mnnh, hard to say. I haven’t had a chance to take a closer look at the hieroglyphs yet.” Yugi said, cocking his weight to one hip as he directed the lantern over another passage of text.

“Well, make it quick, if possible. I want us to find as many rooms as we can before sundown, I need to maximize discoveries with the time that we’ve got left here.” The squat man puffed, obviously having a hard time breathing through the 4 masks piled on his face, but he was a superstitious old thing. Too many tall tales of archaeologists perishing after inhaling a curse, or something along those lines.

Yugi rolled his eyes as Mr. Teton turned away and huffed and puffed off into the darkness of the chamber, croaking out orders for more lighting to be brought in as workers were already bringing in lamp posts and cording.

If only a man like that wasn’t financing half of the expedition… Yugi shook his head - that was something he’d been chewing on ever since the expedition started, but it’s no good stewing over something already said and done.

As the hustle and bustle started growing around him, the chamber being lit as well as it could be - the lamps still couldn’t light the tallest corners of this room no matter how high they tilted them - Yugi focused on the writing and symbols in front of him, allowing himself to be lost in the words and history they whispered to him.

“ …They who have no want shall inherit that which shall judge those who want…  ” Yugi murmured under his breath, just barely brushing his gloved fingers along the wall reverently. 

“Why do these tombs always have to have such cryptic wording? Why can’t they just say ‘ _Get the hell off my sand dunes?_ ’ “ he smirked to himself wryly, finger following the text. 

A sudden shout and crash behind him startled him, shifting his hand away from the text he was translating. Someone had tripped over the electrical cording and knocked over a few lamp posts. Yugi rolled his eyes and turned back to the wall, noticing where his palm now lay.

The design was intricate and unlike any he had seen before, an eye of Horus illuminated like the sun, shapes and forms of creatures unknown surrounding and fleeing from its rays.  

Yugi stepped forward, eyes squinting in concentration as he got closer to the symbol, only to hear a faint click when his fingers touched the center of the eye as it depressed into the stone at his lightest touch.

There was a huge, grating and grinding noise as Yugi sprang back from the wall, and with a lurch, a whole section of the wall sunk in and shifted upwards, revealing a pitch black doorway.

The passage was cleared before him, and as soon as it opened fully he felt a sudden gush of air - not from the darkness, but from behind him, like the air was being sucked greedily into the shadows before him.

A shiver jolted down his spine even as the hot air fluttered his bangs.

He jumped when a hand was suddenly clapped upon his shoulder, breaking his stare down with the darkness beyond the doorway.

“Magnificent, my boy! We don’t have to waste any more dynamite! Come, let us see what’s inside!” Mr. Teton said, wiping at his forehead with a kerchief as he started pushing Yugi in ahead of him.

“Wh-wait - we were using _dynamite?!_ ” Yugi sputtered, putting on the brakes and digging his heels into the stone beneath him as the stouter man tried to force him forward. “Woah - hold on - It could be dangerous, we need to be careful where we step and - !”

Both men stopped short when Yugi’s flailing lantern caught a metallic glimmer before them. Curiosity piqued, Yugi began tentatively stepping forward, step by step, until his lantern illuminated the floor around him.

The room was coated - absolutely littered in gold. Coins, jewelry, pots and goblets were strewn about the floor and piled in corners like a dragon’s hoard. 

Yugi had about two seconds to gape in shock when Mr. Teton gave a great cry of joy, a handful of other workers rushing in with open greedy hands.

“STOP!” Yugi shouted, surprising even himself as he flung his arms out, blocking the men from getting any further into the room.

“What is the meaning of this?” Mr. Teton sputtered, face growing red behind his multiple filter masks. “This is an amazing discovery! What do you think - “

“It might be dangerous! We don’t know what’s laying beneath that gold, or what traps might be on the floor. Just because we’ve had it easy so far doesn’t mean that nothing’s gonna happen.” Yugi said firmly, glaring over his shoulder at the stout man as he quailed under his gaze. 

Mr. Teton glanced underneath Yugi’s arm to the wealth that lay upon the floor, but at Yugi’s raised eyebrow he pulled back reluctantly. 

“Mhh… very well. It wouldn’t do to lose any men.” He said, turning about even as he kept glancing greedily at the treasures.

“Now - nobody touch ANYTHING. We don’t know if any of it is safe.” Yugi called out, turning about himself to leave the room. No sooner did he take two steps towards the door did an enormous groan rend the air, and with a calamitous SLAM the stone door fell shut before them.

Whirling about, Yugi caught the wide-eyed gaze of one of the workers, whom guiltily dropped the golden jug he had picked up as if it was red-hot.

“What did I _just_ - “ Yugi hissed, but before he could finish his sentence the floor beneath them shifted, all the treasure in the room jingling in a teasing manner. The room started trembling, the stone beneath their feet cracking and groaning as the entire room started pitching inward, cracks spidering up the walls and across the ceiling.

“RUN! MOVE!” Yugi yelled frantically, stepping forward to run, but he began slipping and sliding on the coins that danced beneath their feet, pulling them towards the center of the room as the floor started sinking and shattering beneath him.

The last thing Yugi remembered hearing was the panicked screaming of the workers and Mr. Teton, before an all-mighty **CRACK** filled the air, and the floor gave out beneath them.

 

* * *

 

Yugi was awoken by pain - absolute, horrible pain lancing up his left leg and right arm. His head was throbbing pretty damn bad too, and overall he felt like he had been chewed up and spit back out by Ammit. 

He tried to make a sound, but it came out as a feeble croak when moving his head caused the ache to grow exponentially. Oh great, he probably had a concussion. Just what he needed.

Yugi tried to shift, only letting out a high-pitched keen when the movement made the pain in his arm even worse, and he quickly abandoned the whole idea of moving altogether. He blinked his eyes open - at least, he assumed he did, but the fact that his eyes open or closed made no different to the all-consuming darkness that covered him made the decision a little difficult.

He glanced about, moving his head as little as possible while still trying to see if there was any light about, but there was none. No sound either - it was as quiet as a crypt. Not even the tiniest pebble clattering about.

The silence and the darkness started closing in on him, his heart rate picking up as the ringing in his ears did. He squinched his eyes shut, trying to keep his breathing calm - hyperventilating wouldn’t do him any good now.

When he forced his eyes back open, he felt a rush of relief when he spotted the faintest glow of light in the distance, just barely peeking over his chest.

Yugi’s first attempt at calling for help was no more than a squeak, but clearing his throat despite the throb in his head, he was able to make a few words.

“H-hey! Here! Over here!” he called, his voice not ringing out like he thought it would, but more like being swallowed up by the blackness around him.

Slowly, the light moved closer, before what seemed like between blinks the light was suddenly upon him, being thrust into his face and causing him to wince and close his eyes upon the comparative blinding brightness. 

It took him a few blinks - oh, he had a black eye as well, fantastic - before he was able to see past the light, and when he did, it was all he could do to swallow back his startled yell.

Gazing down at him was a giant golden eye - but as his own eyes adjusted, he was able to see it was but a mask - a golden, domed mask embossed with an eye that stared down at him. But that wasn’t the most terrifying thing - the mask was upon a giant furred neck, long and wreathed in gold, horns and ears and more gold jutting out from beneath the mask.

Yugi had barely any time for his breath to hitch for a frightened scream to burst anew past his lips, when the thing spoke.

“Keep your silence, small one, lest you draw misfortune to yourself.” It spoke, its voice low, deep and rich - and surprisingly human. 

The shock gained from the creature speaking had the opposite intended effect, and jump started Yugi’s words into panicked hyperdrive. 

“W-where - where am I? What happened - where’s everyone - what’s going -” Yugi started chattering, voice gaining pitch the more frightened he got, when the creature hissed at him once more.

“I said silence! Do you not understand common words?” it scolded, one clawed finger raised in the universal ‘hush’ gesture. Its speech only made Yugi’s mind race more. How on earth was it speaking fluent _Japanese_ of all languages, let alone speaking at all! 

His panicked thoughts were cut short when a fresh jolt of pain shot up his leg, and he couldn’t stop the pained groan seep between his teeth. The creature brought the light closer - a torch, flickering and dripping embers and melted who-knows-what onto the rubble around him. 

Gazing about, the creature brought another clawed hand - frighteningly human but much too large to be so - up and began shifting rubble and jagged stones carefully away, lifting what had to be enormously heavy rocks with ease. 

Yugi began shifting his gaze back and forth, craning his neck as best as his injuries allowed him to try and see around him, see if anyone else was about that needed help.

“Best keep your eyes upon me, young one, unless you want the images of your crushed companions seared into your nightmares for years to come.” The creature murmured lowly, and Yugi snapped his frightened gaze to the creature’s mask instantly. Just the thought of such a sight forced Yugi to swallow deeply.

Soon the only sounds were the creature’s torch burning and crackling, and the clatter of rocks as the creature steadily kept moving rubble away from Yugi’s body. He found himself in a staring match with the unblinking eye upon the creatures creepy mask - and honestly Yugi found himself torn between keeping his gaze upon the mask, or just closing his eyes altogether. 

A couple of worried moments later, and the boulder crushing Yugi’s leg was lifted. But instead of the pain lessening, it screamed anew, and Yugi felt himself nearly black out under the sensation.

The creature tutted at him - if it was supposed to be comforting, he didn’t know. It never paused in its work, picking away at the rocks around him with an almost dainty air, careful not to jostle. 

The creature made short work of the remaining rubble, and Yugi couldn’t hold back another pained whine as his arm was freed. The overall pain was so strong, he had a hard time pinpointing exactly where it hurt. He just knew he hurt. A lot.

He gasped aloud when the creature gently dug a hand underneath him and lifted him free of the rubble, his neck lolling and limbs dangling - well, he knew _now_ that he had a broken leg, for sure.

The creature tutted again - Yugi swore it was more of a tsk, really - and crammed the torch into a crack in a nearby pillar, bringing its freed hand up to cradle Yugi in both hands like a broken china doll.

He guessed that to the creature, that’s all he was, really.

Steadying itself better on two legs, the creature stood, and Yugi could only watch through the creature’s fingers as the floor shrank beneath them. Exactly how big was this damned thing?

It turned, and Yugi’s world was enshrouded in darkness once more, the creature’s giant form blocking out the meager light from the torch. As the creature walked, Yugi couldn’t help but feel himself start to swoon; the pain, stress, and overall scared-shitless feelings piling up on him all at once. 

As he allowed himself to slip unconscious, he tried to ignore the feeling that he had walked - or been carried - out of the frying pan, and into the fire.

 


	2. Chapter 2

When Yugi next awoke, the pain had ebbed some, but there was still the overarching throbbing that told him not to move anything.

He still did though, hissing as he pushed himself upright with his left arm - his right cradled in his lap.

There was a small fire lit at his side, nothing much more than a pile of broken wood haphazardly burning upon the stone. With the meager amount of light it put out, he could see that his leg had been splinted and bound, a few small hunks of wood with some strips of cloth wrapped below the knee to keep it in place.

His wrist had received the same treatment, albeit a little more messily, but it at least reminded him not to move them that much. His whole body still ached however, and he could feel dried blood crackling against his skin in various places.

After taking stock of himself, Yugi looked around at his surroundings blearily. He couldn’t see very much - the fire created a small circle of light around him, illuminating the stone floor and walls behind him, but the rest of the room was shrouded in complete darkness.

He was lain out on a small platform set into the wall, the golden lit stone glittering around him, glyphs and carvings staring down at him almost judgmentally. The most he could make out just beyond the circle of light was what appeared to be a set of pillars, but even then he could only see the base of them, the darkness was that all-encompassing.

Caught up in his gaping, Yugi missed the soft sound of fur rustling against the stone.

“You have awakened.” A deep voice murmured softly, and Yugi jolted, bringing his uninjured arm up instinctively.

“W-who’s there?!” Yugi shouted out, eyes wildly flitting about, trying to find the source of the voice.

A chuckle rang out, sending shivers down Yugi’s spine, before he caught movement at the edge of the light - nothing more than a shape stirring slightly, too far into the shadows for him to make out anything proper.

“You should fear not, young one. I am the least dangerous being around you at the moment, you have my word on that.” The voice said, silk over stone, and Yugi was reminded of golden masks and giant eyes.

“Y-You’re that thing, right? That big, fuzzy...  thing that saved me.” he said, stumbling over words and trying to not offend the giant thing that had giant hands and may or may not have a giant mouth too.

The voice chuckled again, a little more mirth in it than last time. “Yes, I am.”

Yugi paused a few moments, but nothing but the crackling of the fire at his side made any noise.

“Well… are you gonna come any closer?” he ventured, and he fancied that he saw the shadows at the edge of the light shift a little uncomfortably.

“It would be best for both if we kept our distance as much as possible.” The voice said, and Yugi - while curious - cast his eyes down at the memory of fur wreathed in gold and fingers far too long.

“I’m not sure how possible that’s gonna be, to be completely honest, considering I can’t really do much on my own at the moment.” Yugi said dryly, lifting his right arm in emphasis only to lower it with a hiss of pain.

A tsk broke out of the shadows. “You are smart enough to know not to move injured limbs, yet you do so anyways.” The voice scolded lightly, and Yugi couldn’t stop a sheepish smile from flitting across his face momentarily.

“Mmh, yeah, I’ve been told I’m kinda… spontaneous. Do things without thinking sometimes.” He shrugged - one armed this time. “It’s not always a bad thing.”

A short grunt of acknowledgement - or was it judgemental? - was his only reply.

Yugi fiddled with the linen wrappings around his wrist.

“I take it you did this?” He said.

“That I did.” Said the voice.

Yugi chewed on his lip a little. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome.” Said the voice.

There was more silence after that - it seems his - acquaintance, if Yugi could call it that, wasn’t the talkative type.

“So.” Yugi dragged the word out, trying to drum up conversation, even the most dry sort.

The shadows did nothing but shift slightly, the light tinkling of metal telling Yugi that he had his savior’s attention.

“Where exactly am I?” Yugi ventured, looking round himself once more.

“We are in a tomb, much further underground than where you first started, I am sure.” The voice said.

Yugi sputtered a little bit. “W-wait, a _tomb_ ? You mean - you’re dead? Wait. Am _I_ dead??”

The voice burst out in light laughter, the sound rippling against the stone richly.

“Unfortunately, young one, I am very much not dead. And neither are you. To be so would be a blessing, if I am allowed to be honest.” the voice said a little wistfully, and the tone made Yugi shiver coldly.

“…I’m afraid to ask, but why do you say that?” he ventured.

The voice was silent for a few moments, before speaking again. “There is nigh much but darkness down here, small one. I have had naught but the shadows for company for so long that I have long given up on trying to count the days.”

Yugi felt his heart rate pick up. “You mean. Nothing? No way out? I’m trapped??”

The voice picked up on Yugi’s panic, and tutted comfortingly.

“No, you alone shall be able to escape once you have healed enough to move. The innocent shall never face the judgement reserved for those unworthy of salvation.”

Yugi was thoroughly confused now. “Wait, woah, back up. Innocent? What, are you some sort of - of judge, or something?” he joked lightly, a slight panicked edge to his voice.

The voice was resolute in its answer.

“Yes.”

Yugi clammed up at the pure solidity in the voice’s tone. The voice continued on.

“I am the guardian of the shadows, bringer of justice to those who wish to steal the secrets of the past long best buried. Those who search for power and riches shall meet their rightful end, if so proved guilty.” it said, such power and resolution ringing in it’s voice that Yugi could practically feel it reverberating in his chest.

Yugi was speechless. If he’d have been standing, he’s sure his legs would be wobbly.

He knew one thing for sure - he was sure glad he was deemed ‘innocent’… though he had no clue how the voice judged for that.

The room fell silent again, nothing but the crackling of the fire echoing off the walls.

To distract himself, Yugi decided to take a closer look at his wrappings and take stock of his injuries properly.

His leg had a fracture, that’s for sure, but it didn’t seem like it had broken through the skin, or muscles. He counted himself lucky all things considered - must have been a clean break. The leg had been wrapped fairly sturdily with what looked like old linen and a few wood planks, albeit a little over-excessively on the cloth part. Though… Yugi glanced back over at the shadows again. With fingers that big, he was amazed the owner of the voice managed to even tie a knot.

The rest of him was mostly just bruises and scrapes, but nothing life threatening. Just sore… his black eye had more or less lightened up, though he knew he probably looked comical with it right now. And his head felt better too, so that was a relief.

His wrist though… Yugi prodded at it gingerly. It was completely swathed in linen, with a large, rough knot keeping it and the few sticks shoved in it together. Not the most tidy job… again, Yugi thought to the creature’s enormous hands. If his leg had been difficult, the wrist must have been nigh impossible.

Yet, the creature had still tried.

Yugi chewed on his lip a little.

“Ah -”

He heard light rustling from the darkness again.

“I’m really grateful that you bound up my injuries, but - could I maybe ask for some more pieces of wood? About yey long and wide.” he asked, using his arm to show length from his fingers to his elbow.

“Wrist breaks can be really finicky, and I’m right handed so… I just want to - “

Yugi’s rambling was cut off by some scraping and jingling - and the owner of the voice stood up, enough movement and distortion in the shadows for Yugi to take a guess at the size of the creature - it was easily a whole person’s height worth over his head.

He swallowed dryly when the creature started walking away - at least, that’s what he assumed was happening when the shuffling and jingling started to fade - and then, just at the edge of the light, a _tail_ flickered into view, just enough for Yugi to see a glimpse of a lion’s tail tuft before it followed the rest of the body into the darkness.

Yugi’s eyes felt like they were the size of dinner plates.

After a few moments of gaping like a fish in silence, Yugi shook himself and began untying the mess of cloth that was his right wrist.

By the time the creature came back, Yugi had unwrapped his wrist and by using his free hand and teeth, had torn the large chunks of linen into more even and manageable strips.

Yugi looked up expectantly at the sound of rustling and chiming of metals, but the creature paused - no, hesitated at the rim of light.

“Uh Everything okay?” Yugi ventured lightly.

The creature seemed to be reluctant. “…I had just mentioned not moments ago that it would be best that we keep our distance. And yet, you ask for my assistance. I freely give it to you, but…”

Yugi chewed on his cheek a little.

“Look - if I could do this on my own, I would. But I only have two hands, and one of them is out of commission right now. So I’d - really appreciate a bit of help, just for now.” He said gently, trying to look as unassuming and friendly as possible.

The creature shuffled in place a little, metals jingling. “I - I do wish to be of assistance. But I do not wish for you to gaze at me.” It said, sounding almost… ashamed.

“Well, I’ve already gotten a bit of a look at you from before, so I don’t know how much else you’d surprise me.” Yugi joked lightly, smiling a little.

The creature still did not move forward.

Yugi’s eyes flickered back and forth a little, trying to make out more than a general lump of form through the shadows of the creature, before sighing a little and ducking his head.

“Look, I won’t look at you directly, then. But - I’ll probably end up seeing your hands at least, while I work on my arm, but I won’t look at the rest of you. That okay?” He offered, trying to compromise. His wrist was starting to ache a bit more the longer it remained unbound.

The creature shuffled in place a bit more, seeming to try and come to a decision.

“…Fine. But no matter how curious, please, do not look at me.” The creature pleaded, and at the tone in it’s voice Yugi couldn’t help but nod in affirmation.

He kept his head down as promised, eyes trained on his lap, even as the rustling and jingling grew closer. He startled a little bit when the first bit of the creature came into view - an enormous, dark-skinned hand, human in shape but much too spidery and clawed. The fingers were adorned in riches - rings almost the size of Yugi’s wrist of pure gold and precious, priceless jewels.

It paused at Yugi’s movement, but carefully laid beside Yugi some planks of wood - pieces that were half as long as Yugi’s arm but had been swamped in the creature’s palm.

Yugi reminded himself to keep breathing, and took one of the pieces of offered wood and raised his right arm enough to prop it under, hissing as he moved his broken wrist. He then moved to grab some more pieces of wood, but paused.

“Uh - I kinda need you to hold this wood around my arm while I tie it back up…” Yugi said, voice wavering a little in nervousness.

The creature hesitated - Yugi could _feel_ it, the presence beside him was so enormous - and gently, ever so very gently, reached both hands forward, picking up the planks of wood like they were twigs and holding them in place around Yugi’s injured arm.

Yugi couldn’t help but pause and marvel - the creature’s hands were so large, yet, he could barely feel the touch. It was trying so very hard to be careful with him, he swore he could feel the large hands trembling lightly.

Carefully, hesitantly, Yugi bound up his arm, using his free hand, his teeth, and occasionally one or two of the creature’s fingers, till his wrist was properly splinted.

Once finished, the creature slowly began to withdraw its hands - only for Yugi to reach up quickly and grasp one of the bejewelled fingers.

The creature jumped - honest to god, Yugi swore it left the ground for a second or two - and froze, hand going absolutely stiff in Yugi’s minute grasp as if caught in stone.

Yugi paused for a moment - trying to figure out why the hell he even DID that, what was he _thinking_ \- when he let go, the creature withdrawing its hand a little sharply.

“…Thank you.” Yugi said in a small voice.

The creature said nothing, but hastily withdrew to the shadows, jewelry - now that Yugi knew for sure it was jewelry - clinking in its haste.

Yugi kept looking down at his hand, the one that had grasped the creature’s finger.

His entire hand had barely fit around the creature’s finger, his own digits only just touching - but the skin and flesh he had felt was _warm_.

So very warm, and real.


	3. Chapter 3

“So how do you know Japanese?” 

Yugi’s fingers plucked idly at his linen wrappings, unable to keep his fingers still. 

Same went for the rest of him, really. 

In the past half hour _(he had checked, the glass on his watch was cracked but it still worked)_ he had so far looked around at every hieroglyph and painting upon the lavish tomb walls that were within his small circle of light, counted the stone slabs that made up his small platform haven _(there were thirty-four_ ) and had been absently picking off the dried blood off his cheeks _(seeing as how he didn’t currently have access to water)_. 

Water… he’d have to come back to that worrying thought later. 

The familiar shadow at the edge of his ring of illumination barely twitched. Since his last spontaneous finger-grabbing bad idea, the shadow had been resolutely and silently pretending Yugi wasn’t even there. 

Yugi swore the creature even had its back to him. He just knew it. 

Seeing as how his first initial opening sentence had been ignored - he did as he always did, and plowed on anyways. 

“I mean, we are in the dead middle of Egypt, and everyone else on my team either spoke English or Arabic, and from the looks of it it’s not like you get out very often.” Yugi tried to joke. 

The sensation of bristling indignation he got from the shadow told him his joke was in rather poor taste. 

“Ah, sorry. Trying to make light of the whole ‘sealed in a dark tomb for the past who knows how long’ is a big no-no. Okay.” Yugi yammered, wishing he’d just _shut up_ already, but the stifling silence of the shadows was starting to get to him. 

With nothing but the light crackling of his dwindling fire and the breathing of his shadowy savior for company, it all felt eerily stifling. 

“But still, I’m really curious. I mean - you hardly even have an accent. Your speech is a little overly formal, but hell, I’m not complaining.” he forged on, focusing on the lump of shadows that made up his mysterious acquaintance, willing his eyes to make out more details in the dark. 

There was more silence for a handful of beats, when just as Yugi opened his mouth to pour out more words, he heard the shadows inhale. 

“I… do not speak your language. I do not truly know this ‘Japanese’. Powers that be ensure that I can communicate with whom I encounter, no matter where they hail from. I would make a proper poor judge if I could not even tell those I condemn why they are condemned in the first place.” The shape almost chuckled, but it seemed to hold back, keeping itself sober and distant.

 Yugi was fascinated. 

“Woah, wait, you’re telling me you can just speak like - any language? At all? How is that possible? Is this like some sort of Tower of Babel thing, or like - an instant translation somehow between your brain and mine?” He rambled eagerly, leaning forward on his good hand and ignoring the ache of his bruised joints. 

The shape shifted uncomfortably, seemingly unhappy with being the center of attention for its audience of one. 

“I’m not entirely sure of what you mean by ‘Tower of Babel’, but it’s more akin to… when you speak, regardless of language, I understand. I know what the words would mean in my own language, but I don’t know what they really ‘mean’, if you follow me. Just the sentence structure and basic knowledge - enough to communicate sufficiently. But any deeper meaning, or references outside my knowledge is lost to me. But likewise - I speak in my own tongue, and you understand what I say. That is all.” 

The shape was obviously struggling to explain it properly, seemingly not completely sure itself how these ‘powers that be’ worked. 

“No no, I think I get it? But like, it’s still really neat about how your pronunciation is nearly spot-on to me. Japanese isn’t the easiest language to speak, but it sounds really good, even if it’s some sort of hocus-pocus thingy. It’s really cool.” Yugi grinned, hoping to coax his companion into a more relaxed atmosphere. 

The creature allowed itself a small chuckle. 

“ ‘Cool’. I see.” 

Yugi pressed on. “So like - if I’m just talking to you, you know what I’m saying, but if I like, start talking about uh… movies? Or cars, or - or  spoons, you wouldn’t know what those are?” 

“No. I do not. I do not have knowledge of a similar subject to compare it to, so it’s foreign to me.” The shape said, voice a little less tense than before. 

“Well like, they’re not that complicated to explain. Like - movies are like - like plays? Theatre? Performances made by people, but we have them recorded in vision and sound so that people can watch them over and over whenever they want to. And cars are like - well, the most stereotypical explanation is horseless chariots, but that’s always been a poor comparison in my mind, they’re a lot more complicated - and don’t even get me started on spoons.” Yugi launched into conversation eagerly, clutching at a lifeline to make himself feel less small and afraid. 

He yammered on for who knows how long - for once, he didn’t flick his gaze at his watch every two minutes - his acquaintance mostly keeping silent, but interjecting with a few small questions here and there. 

Yugi didn’t pause until his throat started to itch, and he started coughing mid-explanation about gatchapons. 

The shape shifted abruptly. 

“Are you alright?” 

Yugi waved it off, wincing as the throbbing in his head came back. 

“I’m fine. Just a little thirsty.” he said, swallowing dryly as his daunting thought from earlier surfaced again. 

The shape held still for a moment, before lurching to its feet. Yugi was rewarded with another glimpse of his acquaintance - just the tip of its golden mask flickering into view before it was pulled back by the momentum of standing. 

The creature lumbered off without another word, and Yugi was left floundering in the darkness again. 

“Hey, wait - hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to leave mid-conversation??” Yugi shouted after it, coughing lightly in the dry air. He was answered by silence, so he huffed and pouted alone.

 It was then that he noticed that his ring of light seemed slightly smaller than before. Having been distracted by his animated but mostly one-sided conversation, his already meager pile of sticks was slowly dwindling, coals barely glowing.

 Yugi hurriedly grabbed the few sticks that had been left over from his splinting and stuffed them into the burning pile, poking it together to try and keep it from going out.

 Being left alone in the dark was the exact last thing he wanted to do right now.

 Some worryingly silent and lonely minutes later, and he found himself far too relieved to hear the slow, heavy steps of the creature, accompanied by the unmistakable jingling of its jewelry.

 It hesitated again, but much shorter this time, before bringing its hand into view once again - carrying a gorgeous golden jug laden with jewels, overflowing with liquid as it was held by the handle between a finger and thumb like a dollhouse cup.

 Yugi looked between the offered jug and where he assumed the creature’s face was a few times, before tentatively reaching out and taking the jug in both hands, surprisingly cool water trickling over his fingers.

 He pulled it to himself, and had to stop himself from immediately and impulsively chugging down the whole damned thing.

 “Uh, thank you but - is this safe? Clean?” Yugi asked, ashamed to be questioning such a precious commodity given freely to him right now.

 But catching illness from dirty water was the exact last thing he wanted to do buried in a who-knows how deep tomb.

 “It is, I am sure.” The creature answered, and that was all the reassurance Yugi needed to bring his lips to the golden rim and take deep, gracious swallows of the water.

 It wasn’t expensive crystal clear water imported from a northern glacier, but to him right then it might as well have been.

 He had his fill, not caring when the liquid dribbled down his chin and onto his dirty shirt. He was too damned thirsty, and he figured if the creature had wanted him done in before that moment he probably wouldn’t have given Yugi deadly water now. Too much work.

 Yugi sighed deeply when he was done, and he swore he heard the creature let out a light huff of laughter at him.

 “Uh - want any?” Yugi offered awkwardly, holding the now half-empty jug out to the shadows before him.

 He heard jingling - the creature must have shook its head. “No, I do not need drink or food. I thank you, though.”

 Yugi paused in putting down the jug beside him at the creature’s words. “You don’t… need food or water? What, do you like photosynthesize or something?”

 The creature seemed to tip its head at the statement - Yugi could have smacked his own forehead. Right. Modern references.

 The creature spoke before he could clarify, though. “I do not know the meaning of that word, but to reply - This body does not need sustenance. I can consume it if I do so wish, but it is not necessary. My existence is in an eternal standstill, as a judge does not need such frivolities as food and water.”

 Yugi sputtered. “Frivoloties? Food and water is like, the most damn basic of needs! That’s bullshit - _frivoloties_. The hell. Next you’re gonna tell me you don’t need to piss either, or something.”

 His companion snorted - honest to gods snorted in surprise - before deep, rich and astonished laughter rolled out of the shadows, echoing off the walls around Yugi and vibrating low in his body. Yugi couldn’t help but put his hand to his chest - it was like standing in front of a huge speaker. He could feel it in his toes.

 Eventually the shape sobered, but its voice kept a pleasant note of amusement in it. “As honored as I am by your concern, I do not need a young one such as yourself worrying about my wellbeing. I can care for myself.”

 Yugi rolled his eyes, a little distracted from his irritation by the creature’s laughter. “Ah-huh, Mister ‘ _Judge of the condemned who doesn’t need to drink water like the rest of us_ ’ - It’s still not normal.”

 The creature hummed in what might be dry agreement. “Hmm. ‘Not normal’ indeed.”

 They felt quiet after that, Yugi unsure if he should pick up where he left off before as the creature shuffled away in the dark, settling down on the cold stone with a light thump.

 After a while of awkward silence and twiddling Yugi started to feel drowsy - general exhaustion and his injuries catching up with him. He fought to keep himself awake, eyes fluttering and drooping.

 The last thing that flitted through his head was him wondering if this could all just be one elaborate hallucination from banging his head too hard. The light throbbing at the back of his skull sure pointed to a nice concussion, most likely.

 But hallucination or not, it all sure as hell felt real.

 

* * *

 

Yugi couldn’t remember exactly when he fell asleep, nor guess at how long he was out for. 

Specially when he stirred, still slumped awkwardly against the wall - and opened his eyes to blinding darkness once more. 

He let out a strangled gasp, hands grasping out as he pressed himself against the rough brick behind him. 

The blackness was all-consuming, oozing into his nose and mouth with each breath he took. He clamped his mouth shut, breathing panicked and short through his nose. 

The foreboding pressure kept building, and he couldn’t help but let out a whimper when he swore sinister whispering started creeping at the edge of his hearing. 

Suddenly, something warm and firm gripped his middle, and he let out a frightened shriek - only to be muffled when a extremely large finger wrapped across his face and mouth.

 “Silence, small one. Best you remember what I warned before.” The familiar voice spoke quietly in his ear, and he shuddered and almost went limp at the hot breath washing over his neck. 

Yugi couldn’t help but grasp at the finger pressed against his mouth, and he felt very much like a small doll in the giant’s hand. 

He tugged at the finger, pulling it away from his face enough to speak, though he didn’t let go. “Wh-what -” 

“The fire went out. Negligence, due on my half. I deeply apologize - I am used to the darkness. You, however, are not.” The voice said, a twinge of self-loathing filtering through. 

“Wh - ah - o-okay, it’s ok, it was an accident, let’s just - “ Yugi started rambling, and the finger threatened to press against his mouth again. 

“I am afraid I must leave you for a short while.” The voice said, and Yugi’s grip on the finger turned white-knuckled. 

“Why?!” he found himself strangling out through his tight throat. 

“Again, negligence. I did not foresee that you’d need more fuel for the fire. I must get supplies. I will not be gone for long.” It said, and Yugi found his breathing quicken at the thought of being left alone.

 When did he get so afraid of the dark?

 Yugi made to protest, but then the large hand was releasing him, withdrawing, and Yugi’s hands clung desperately to one of the cold rings adorning the long fingers.

 “I shall return shortly. As long as you do not move or make a sound, you shall be alright.” The voice said, already pulled back from where it had been pressed against Yugi’s ear.

 “Nnh - “ Yugi swallowed down his frightened garbling, the intense whispering of the creature making him feel like a child that was drawn along with the suspense of pretending there were monsters in the dark.

 When the sound of the creature's departing melted into the darkness, Yugi found himself really believing there were things hiding in the shadows.

 His heartbeat pounding in his ears grew louder with each passing second, and he felt like it was the loudest sound in the world.

 Agonizing minutes passed, his breathing getting harsher as the darkness kept pressing in - filling in the cracks in the stone and space around his body, folding like a stifling blanket.

 Then he felt something skitter by his feet.

 “AH!-” he drew his legs in, clapping his hand over his traitorous mouth, when this time for sure he heard whispering - clicking and muttering that sounded far too threatening and hungry for its own good.

  _It’s alright, it’s fine, it was probably a rat or something, it’s fine it’s cool_ \- his attempted self-assurance was cut off when he heard something sinister - and _big_ \- scrape far too close by for comfort.

 He crushed his legs against his body, trying to make himself into as small a ball as possible, feeling his lighter biting into his thigh through his slacks - his lighter!!

 Fingers fumbling against the fabric desperately, nearly dropping the small thing in his terror, he gripped the small lighter like it was a lifeline, the cool metal slick against his fingers as he popped open the top with a sharp click.

 His heart stopped as he flicked the igniter - once, twice, sparks sputtering feebly, before with a wondrous fizzle the lighter came to life, casting the smallest halo of light around him.

 Something hissed, things chittered, and the immense pressure bearing down on him lightened just the smallest bit, enough that he felt he could gulp in air without inhaling inky blackness into his lungs with it.

 He clung to the lighter desperately, never more thankful at that moment than he ever had at his grandfather’s insistence on him keeping a zippo with him at all times.

 “ _You never know when you’ll need a little bit of friendly light._ ” He always said.

 Yugi was never going to roll his eyes at his grandpa ever again.

 It felt like an eternity later, but it couldn’t have been more than a handful of minutes - or at least that’s what he hoped - that the creature returned.

 It was the only friendly sound he’d heard since it left, the soft, thudding footsteps and jingling of jewellry gentle against his ears.

 The creature drew very close, the edge of the light his lighter gave off flirting with the creatures golden mask.

 “You have light.” it said, almost in awe. Yugi could only nod jerkingly as the creature withdrew, and the sound of wood and paper being dropped against stone was far more relieving than it should be.

 There was the sound of stone scraping against stone, a meager spark or two - the creature must have some sort of flint. 

“H-h-here-” Yugi’s voice shuddered out of him as he leaned forward, using the lighter to brighten the way as he dragged himself over closer to the wood. Ignoring the pain from his jostled limbs, he fumbled around with shivering hands till he found what felt like paper along with the pile of wood, and held the edge to the flame. 

The dry paper caught instantly, and Yugi caught a glimpse of ancient Egyptian writing before he tossed it onto the pile, the papyrus igniting instantly and flaring brilliantly as the dry kindling caught ablaze. 

Yugi sighed in relief as the fire climbed higher, the light growing in brightness and chasing away the hissing edge of darkness. 

But he felt guilt and disgust drop in his stomach when he saw what he was burning, however - wood that was elegantly carved, shattered pieces of priceless furniture, and ancient papyrus scrawled with an ancient language as it burned away to ash.

 Right at that moment though, his intense desire to be bathed in light again overrode his archaeologist's instinct to preserve and protect.

 It took a small while for the fire to build again, but eventually Yugi was surrounded by a sizable halo of light once more, and there was no more sinister whispering or skittering.

 The creature remained at the edge of the light until Yugi’s breathing calmed, its hands viewable by the light as the fire glinted off the jewels and gold upon its fingers.

 It stood upright on its fingertips, clawed digits spread out elegantly to distribute the weight, he noted.

 There was silence for a while, only the sound of the fire crackling and burning merrily echoing against the stone. Yugi had never thought he’d heard such a beautiful sound.

 “Are you well?” The voice said softly, cautiously, and Yugi looked up to where he assumed the creature's head was.

 He nodded lightly, shrugging a little helplessly, feeling very out of his depth and rather lost.

 There was jingling as the creature nodded it’s head, and it moved to withdraw back into the darkness.

 “Can you stay in the light?” Yugi found himself bursting out, hand gripping white-knuckled around his precious lighter.

 The creature paused, contemplating.

 Then it settled down, just the edges of its folded arms and hands visible. It wore bright gold bangles around its forearms, clasped tightly from wrist to elbow. Auburn fur peeked out around the elbow and continued up the arm.

The sight was strangely comforting.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being patient, I'm sorry for the wait!

* * *

 

The next time Yugi woke up, he was very much aware, very much on edge, and very much in pain.

 Having gotten a somewhat fitful sleep curled up beside the fire on the cool stones, his head was back in its right mind. The rattling around from his fall before had muddled his head a little - he could remember what happened, but a little blearily, like looking through a dirty windowpane.

But now that he wasn’t so concussed, and a little more rested - he kind of wished his head was all scrambled around a bit more.

His wrist and leg throbbed. Absolutely  _ on fire _ with pain - the initial shock had worn off, and his body was telling him that he must get medical help as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, you try telling that to the giant fuzzy talking monster that was keeping you hostage.

That was the only solution he could possibly think of - how else could he explain the fact that it hadn’t tried to eat him (yet), or kick him out of it’s dark hole in the ground?

Yugi had spent the last half hour awake laid out on the stone, eyes staring into the darkness beyond the light of the fire as his mind raced, trying to ignore the pain in his broken limbs. He didn’t dare look at the creature and let it know he was awake - last thing he remembered was the fire light glinting off the golden armbands around the monster’s forearms as it faced him.

He couldn’t even believe he had touched the damn thing! Remembering the helpless feeling of being swamped in the creature’s grip, absolutely certain that at the slightest whim it could crush him - he tried to hold back a shudder.

Unfortunately it seemed the creature had been keeping a close eye on him, for at his shudder it shifted and put a few more scraps of wood on the fire, Yugi’s eyes wide as he watched the spidery fingers handle planks of wood like twigs. 

Now, Yugi was not a coward. He had braved many a danger and gamble before and come out on the other end relatively unscathed. But giant mask-wearing monsters that talked like some old Japanese scholar? That wasn’t in his Grandpa’s adventuring book. 

But considering the fact that the creature hadn’t yet done anything aggressive or antagonistic -  aside from manhandling him like a damn scrap doll - ah - and probably had purposely let the fire go out before so he could scare the absolute  _ pants _ off of Yugi in the dark so he’d feel more of an affinity for his so-called ‘savior’.

Monsters in the darkness - _pah_. Yugi hadn’t come across a cursed tomb yet, and he didn’t believe he’d conveniently come across one now.  

“Your mind is thinking so loudly, I can hear it from here.” A low voice suddenly spoke, and Yugi flinched, tensing up with his shoulders around his ears.

He sat there like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar - Yugi shook off the train of thought. He was no child! He may be injured, but he was far from helpless.

He pushed himself upright, gritting his teeth against the pain his jostled injuries shrieked at him. He couldn’t stop the gust of breath that whistled past his teeth at the sensation, though. 

“You are in pain.” The creature observed.

_ ‘No shit, Sherlock.’  _ Yugi almost spoke out loud, but he bit his tongue at the last second. He didn’t know how the monster would take to cursing and sarcasm.

“Yes, yes I am.” He settled, grinding it out between his teeth as he shuffled around till his back was to the wall again, breathing coming in short bursts. Yugi had once dislocated his shoulder when he was younger - that was child’s play compared to this pain he felt now. 

He blinked his eyes open once again and glared out towards the creature, casting his eyes upwards in the area he somewhat assumed its head would be. 

The creature seemed to take stock of Yugi’s expression.

“You are angry.” It stated.

Yugi just barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes. “I have a broken leg, a broken wrist, a healing concussion, and more bruises than a dropped peach. I need to see a doctor. Now.”

The creature tipped its head, gold jingling as it noted Yugi’s suddenly less than friendly tone of voice.

“I told you before - you will be able to leave once your injuries have subsided enough that you are able to move. Not a moment sooner, I am afraid.”

Yugi’s uninjured hand balled into a fist. “And I just told you - I need medical attention. Wounds like these will not just heal on their own! They need to be set properly, I need casts, I need painkillers!” he ground out, trying to keep his voice level. “You can’t keep me here. You said there’s a way out - I demand you take me there!” 

The creature shifted suddenly, like it had drawn back away from Yugi’s sudden venomous tone

“I see pain makes you sharp-edged.” It said dryly. 

“Yeah, sorry, having various limbs broken makes me kinda snappy.” Yugi hissed back.

The creature snorted, then broke out into chuckles, jewellry jingling along with the low sound.

“I’m  _ so _ glad you find my pain amusing!” Yugi shouted, his voice escalating in his anger. 

The creature sobered immediately, chuckles cutting off abruptly.

“I deeply apologize. I was not amused by your pain, merely how you deal with it.” it said, and if Yugi could have, he would have slapped the damn thing - broken wrist or not.

Instead, he sat and seethed, grinding his teeth (which did not help his oncoming headache) as he glared into the fire as it crackled merrily away, absolutely oblivious to the predicament Yugi was in.

He was stuck in a hole who knows how far underground, extremely injured, with only some ancient wooden artifacts to burn for light, and a giant furry monster with a fetish for gold as a kidnapper.

He wanted to go home.

Yugi ran his free hand through his hair, chewing on his lip as his eyes watered slightly in frustration. 

“I am sorry.” The creature spoke suddenly after a fair amount of silence, startling Yugi.

He turned to glare at the creature again, but it interrupted him.

“I am sorry that… I cannot help more. I would take you to the gateway out if I could… but powers that be keep me from coming near the gate. I can not approach it.” It said, voice low and soft and extremely apologetic.

Yugi found his face melting into a sour expression. “ ‘Powers that be’ - that’s the second time you’ve said that. Don’t bullshit me - stuff like that doesn’t exist.”

“Ah, spoken like a true disbeliever. There are things that exist that should not - and yet still do, powers that are nigh beyond our comprehension and imagination.” The creature said, its tone shifting condescendingly. 

It absolutely _infuriated_ Yugi. “Magic and curses do not exist! I have been excavating tombs and temples since I was six, and I’ve never seen any evidence of such a thing!”   

The temperature suddenly dropped, and Yugi found himself sucking in his breath in shock.

“...You are a tomb robber?” The voice rumbled, and it was the deepest and most dangerous Yugi had ever heard the creature speak.

“No!” Yugi yelled out, insulted by the term. “I am an Archaeologist - a historian, someone who digs up the lost past so those of the present and future can learn from it! I treat artifacts and relics with the utmost respect, I ensure they are undamaged and are sent to the most prestigious museums in the world!” 

The cold atmosphere stayed, and Yugi had the niggling feeling he was being judged right that second.

“Those relics you so call are precious and sacred items needed for those to live a comfortable life in the afterlife, by removing said items one is taking away paradise from those who deserve their forever rest.” The creature spoke solemnly.

“I hate to break it to you, but the afterlife doesn’t exist! And even if it did - the people whom the tombs belonged to are long dead! By thousands of years, actually! I’m pretty sure they’re doing just fine on the other side by now.” Yugi argued, incensed that his beloved profession was being treated as some lowly thief who sold stolen gold on the black market.

The creature twitched at the ‘thousands of years’ comment, but kept steadfast. “You are intent on insisting that things such as magic and the afterlife do not exist, that you have seen no evidence of such a thing in your lifetime.” It stated, rising on its hands ominously. 

It took a step forward, and then another - and suddenly the great golden mask broke into view, the flickering light of the fire glittering off its surface.

Yugi felt his mouth go dry as he stared wide-eyed at the creature’s head - giant furred ears dripping in jewelry sprouted off the creature’s head, and a pair of enormous gilded horns grew up from under the mask. A deep auburn mane highlighted with golden streaks disappeared into the darkness along the creature’s immense neck, also wreathed in gold.  

“Then how would you explain me?” it said.

Yugi suddenly found he had forgotten how to speak.

The creature stood there, staring down at Yugi silently, unreadably, before withdrawing back into the shadows.

Yugi heard jingling and the heavy, padded footsteps of the creature - it was leaving. Retreating. Yugi listened to the sound over the terrific pounding of his heart, the footsteps fading and leaving him alone in the dark.

Fright boiled over into anger, and Yugi picked up a chunk of wood with his free hand and chucked it out into the darkness with a furious shout. He listened to the wood skip and scatter across the stone, and the sound echoed. And continued echoing.

Yugi really,  _ really _ hated being scared.

 

* * *

 

Eventually the creature returned, announcing its presence with the light jingling of gold. By the time it had, Yugi had successfully vented most of his anger to the darkness, his cursing echoing back at him a hundred fold. Now he just felt tired and even more sore than before. 

He watched as the creature stepped close, gold rings glittering, and placed a shimmering copper plate down on the stone near Yugi. Upon the plate, along with an Egyptian fork and knife, was fish - roughly cleaned and gutted raw fish. 

Yugi stared down at the fish, back up at the creature, then down at the fish.

“How-?!” 

“The stream.” The creature said simply, cutting Yugi off, before retreating back to the shadows. 

Yugi was left staring at the fish - his stomach rumbling now that he realized how hungry he was. The chance of there being fish in this imaginary underground stream was too good to be true, nearly impossible odds - but Yugi was also too hungry to doubt it for once. 

He dug through the wood pile till he found a forearm-length splinter of wood. He managed to spear a hunk or two of fish on the stick, and shoved it over the fire, his stomach growling at him to hurry up with the cooking. 

And so Yugi sat there, awkwardly holding some fish over a campfire, hundreds of feet underground with nothing but a talking fuzzmonster for company.

When the fish started getting burnt at the edges Yugi deemed it cooked enough, and devoured it, not even caring to use the utensils the creature had brought him. 

Ancient Egyptian utensils that probably cost more than his damn broken arm and leg, from the looks of their shiny gold surface and jewel-encrusted handles. 

Yugi sighed, stomach at least sated for the meanwhile, as he speared the last bits of raw fish back on the stick and started roasting them as well. He chewed on his lip lightly - water, food, and basic first aid… he really owed the creature, now. He honestly could have done much worse off in a situation like this.

Being left to rot buried under rocks and rubble, for one.

“Look - I’m sorry.” Yugi started suddenly, his voice cutting through the thick silence. He may as well start somewhere.

The creature didn’t even shift.

“I’m just - you need to see things from my perspective. I’m hurt, I’m stuck in a hole in the ground with no immediate way out… I’m scared. If I offended you - no, that I offended you - I’m sorry. You don’t have to be doing any of this for me, and you are anyways.” Yugi moped, rotating the fish-stick in his hand absently as he spoke. “Thank you for… this. I’d probably be dead if it weren’t for you. I still don’t think magic exists, but somehow, you do, so -” 

He trailed off, unsure if the creature was even listening to him, or if he was speaking to thin air.

“You exist, so I may as well get along with you, right?” Yugi finished lightly, a somewhat sheepish smile on his face as he turned his head towards the creature’s direction.

There was only more silence, no reply coming from the creature. 

Yugi frowned a little. “Ok, I may deserve the silent treatment, but could you at  _ least _ -”

“ **Silence.** ” 

Yugi’s jaw snapped shut. The creature’s voice rang low, commanding. The tone demanded compliance - obedience. Yugi almost found himself falling to it. Almost.

“Hey - you can’t -” 

“I said  **_Silence._ ** ” The creature hissed, tone leaving no room for argument. 

He found himself obeying, this time - though reluctantly. His lower lip rolled out in a pout, the only sound heard between the two was the fading sound of the cracking fire… fading?

Yugi turned his head sharply towards the fire, anticipating the sight of embers dwindling to ashes, but the fire was as bright and merry as ever. But completely silent. Not a snap or a flare heard.

He swallowed deeply, barely able to even hear the sound of that over the growing pressure in his ears. It was like he was going up a mountain - or being pulled under the waves, drowning in darkness. 

As he looked out past the creature into the inky blackness, he thought drowning felt more fitting at that moment.

Suddenly -  _ a sound. _

Yugi was wound so tense that he jumped, the loud scrape of something sharp against stone ringing out. Metallic. 

Another sound followed, a burble - a growl? It echoed too much to be normal. So did the clicking and hissing that accompanied it. 

Yugi found himself scrambling for his lighter, making sure the small metal rectangle was gripped tight in his fist. He felt like his small bubble of light was growing smaller, tighter. The darkness pressing in, testing its strength. 

He kept his gaze focused forwards, hands trembling as he tried to pick out the shape of the creature against all the rest of the shadows, desperate for something familiar.

_ ‘It’s nothing, everything’s fine.’ _ Yugi told himself, even his own voice in his head feeling muffled.   _ The stupid monster’s probably just trying to scare the pants off me so I’ll listen to it more.’ _ He reasoned to himself.

Yugi opened his mouth, took a breath to speak.

The darkness exploded.

Yugi was suddenly smothered in fur and feathers, pressed against the stone as the darkness was  _ alive _ , loud and screeching and roaring and the sounds of a thousand demons at once. 

He felt more than heard the creature’s voice above and around him, the sound reminding him of a human’s yell fading into a lion’s roar. He tried to breathe around the body squashing him into the stone, unable to swallow his pained cries as his injured body was jostled.

The sound of his voice only seemed to excite the shadows, and the screaming became more insistent, demanding. Hungry. 

His world shifted from fur and heat to clawed hands gripping him tightly, and suddenly they were moving - Yugi’s stomach feeling like it had been left behind as the creature lurched and lunged forward, him being clenched in its grasp.

Yugi tried to orient himself, hands trying to grip the fingers holding him so tightly, but unable to do much but let out frightened and pained gasps. Everything was blackness, the creature’s gait long and awkward as it bolted through the dark. Yugi had the frightening mental image of monsters and demons snapping at the creature’s heels. 

They lurched to a sudden stop, and Yugi was tossed out of the creature’s grip, rolling across the floor and yelling in pain. 

The world was spinning around him, pain and blackness and the sound of monsters in the dark. 

The sound was more distant now though, and sounded distinctly more like fighting rather than chasing - the creature’s roars cutting through the demon’s shrieks. Slashing and ripping and  something's being bodily slammed into stone repeatedly. 

Yugi’s breathing doesn’t steady out until the sounds fade, and even then it was shaky at best, pressing himself against the only familiar thing he knew right now - the floor.

He counted his breaths, the lighter squeezed so tightly into his palm that he knew it was going to leave marks. Eventually, slowly, the world became silent again and it was the blessed silence of normal darkness, not oppressive or hungry. 

There was a touch on his back - light and hesitant. Yugi jumped, crying out in shock. The touch returned, more comforting and grounding this time. 

“It is I.” The creature shushed, and Yugi just about melted onto the floor in relief. 

Yugi had a thousand questions, but all of them tried to come out at once and blocked his throat so all that came out was a frightened squeak instead.

The fingers on his back stroked him gently, and Yugi could feel himself shuddering against them.

“Peace. Allow yourself to calm before speaking. You are safe now.” The creature spoke, and Yugi believed him. It even waited until Yugi had calmed enough to untangle his tongue, its touch against his back light but never fading. 

“W-what - that - “ Yugi tripped over his words, so the creature filled in the spaces for him.

“I had warned you about attracting unwanted attention. That - “ The creature paused meaningfully, and Yugi imagined the creature jerking its head to the side. “- was unwanted attention.” 

“ _ What  _ was _ that?! _ ” Yugi managed to hiss out breathlessly.

“The shadows.” The creature said simply. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the note - I don't want to make a habit of this and want to let my story speak for itself, but I want to send a little message here thanking everyone who's subscribed, commented, and given kudos on this work! It really makes me so happy that people have been enjoying the story, and I sincerely hope you continue to do so!
> 
> Also I wanted to bring attention to a small thing that's not really too important but momentous to me - this is the first time I've ever reached 5 chapters in a fanfiction I've written! Sad, I know, but I've always lost interest in a fanfiction by the 4th chapter, specially when I don't get feedback. But I've gotten lots of feedback on this story in particular, and that really helps me -want- to work on it! So even though I'm terrible at replying to comments on A03, please know that I've read every single one and I greatly appreciate the enthusiasm from you guys. 
> 
> Keep commenting here if you want, even if I don't reply!! I'll read it and love it for sure. But If you'd really like a reply, please send me an ask over on my tumblr - I answer those much more often! Again, thank you for all the support, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!
> 
> PS: if you'd like to see my sketches and scribbles of the characters from this story, please check out the '#catacombs au' tag on my tumblr! They do contain spoilers, such as what 'the creature' looks like under his mask - so those of you who want to keep it a secret, be warned!!

* * *

 

 

It took Yugi quite a few moments to stop being hysterical. The creature kept him grounded the whole time, keeping its touch light but steady on his back as Yugi recollected himself enough to steady his breathing. 

After he calmed, he felt shame creeping over him - he’d never broken down like that before in a scary situation. He was exceptionally good at keeping a level head- except when monsters in the dark were screaming at him, apparently. 

Yugi turned the lighter in his hand over and over as his breathing leveled out, the metal smooth and warmed by the heat of his skin. He’d assumed that eventually his eyes would adjust to the darkness at some level, make out some shapes - but even long moments later everything was still as black as if his eyes were closed. 

He let out a great sigh before flicking the top open and sparking the igniter, the reliable Zippo flaring a small but bright light. The light hurt his eyes, but its brightness made him feel a little less suffocated. 

The touch on his back retreated, and he tensed up at the sudden shock of being left alone, but he stubbornly swallowed it back down. He heard the creature shuffling around - obviously that thing had no trouble in the dark, Yugi rued - before something ceramic was placed right near his hand. 

He lifted his head and, wincing, raised himself up on his elbows - the creature had placed a old Egyptian clay lamp beside him, the wick pristine and the carvings on the sides elegant. 

Yugi highly doubted there was still oil left in it, if there ever was, but he still raised the lighter to the wick in hope. 

To his immense surprise and relief, the lamp caught and burned happily away, little flame flickering in a cheery manner. 

He let his lighter click shut, stuffing it in his pocket awkwardly before rolling into a sitting position, keeping the small lamp close. 

He looked around - the light wasn’t enough to illuminate his surroundings, but judging by the close, gentle breathing of the creature, the room felt much smaller than where he had been sitting before. 

It felt safer. 

“Are you well?” The creature asked, and Yugi jumped a little bit - it was closer than he had anticipated. 

“Uh, not - not really, but I’ll - I’ll be okay.” He said. He would make himself be okay. 

There was light jingling - the creature tilting its head. 

“It is alright if you need more time. That was quite the traumatic experience, and I deeply apologize for it. I was unable to sufficiently protect you.” The creature said, voice deep with regret, and Yugi had the sudden mental image of the creature bowing its head to the floor in prostration before him. 

“Well - I could have very easily lived without… whatever happened, but I’ll be alright. I’m made of tough stuff.” He said, waving his hand carelessly. 

“So I have observed.” The creature said, an amused tone in its voice. 

Yugi couldn’t help the small, weak grin that flitted on his face. He rubbed and ruffled at his already disastrously messy hair, groaning to himself at the greasy texture. He dropped his hand to his lap with a huff, mentally shaking himself back to normal.

“Okay. Now what?” he said, looking in the direction of the creature. Some more jingling, a light pause, and it replied. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean… what do I do? Is this where I will be staying now? Cause I sure don’t wanna go back out there if I can help it.” Yugi said, jerking his head towards the darkness - towards the door, he assumed, and where the creature was.

 There was some shuffling, the creature shifting uncomfortably.

 “I - yes, this would most likely be the safest room for you to stay. There are many wards set in the entryway, to keep the shadows out.” it said, haltingly.

 “Then why the heck did you not put me in here in the first place?” Yugi said, offendedly.

 Even more awkward, uncomfortable shuffling.

 “I - I do not fit in the door... very well.” The creature said quickly, in an evading manner.

 Yugi blinked a few times, before bursting out in laughter. His ribs ached and his wrist hated him for jostling it, but he just couldn’t help it. It didn’t help his giggles when he got the mental image of a big, fluffy masked thing squashed in a tiny doorway like a cartoon, and he couldn’t help but let loose another peal of laughter.

 The whole time he laughed the creature shifted on its feet awkwardly, embarrassment radiating off of it.

 “Oh - oh man, I wish I could see that. Oh, god!” Yugi giggled, sorely missing use of a flashlight.

 “I’d really prefer if you didn’t.” The creature said flatly, and Yugi let out another snort of amusement.

 Eventually he managed to reign in the giggles, and despite his body’s soreness, he appreciated the lightness that came with them. He wiped the tears from his eyes, breathing deeply to calm himself.

 He let out one deep, more relaxed sigh, before blinking up at the creature’s general direction.

 “Giggles aside, I really wish I could see more. But I don’t think lighting a fire in a smaller room would be a good idea.” Yugi said, aimlessly glancing around himself. Outside, in that enormous room - hall - whatever it was, even with the fire crackling for hours, Yugi had never felt smothered by smoke. It always drifted off harmlessly, only the scent of old stone and sand in the dead air.

 The creature was silent for a few moments, before shifting, metal and fur scraping against stone lightly. Yugi watched as the creature’s fingers slowly came into view, entering his tiny bubble of light of the oil lamp.

 “...May I?” it said hesitantly, and Yugi found himself nodding, curious.

 The lamp was utterly dwarfed in the creature’s grip - it had to hold it with the very tips of its fingers to keep its nails out of the flame. Like a small dollhouse toy, the creature gingerly lifted the lamp up and away from Yugi, and Yugi’s eyes were drawn to the light naturally.

 He followed the light across the room, a small bubble of illumination - when there was a second flare, and the bubble grew larger - another lamp. Slightly bigger, too.

 The creature moved the lamp about the room, here and there, wherever it could reach, until eventually about four lamps of varying sizes and shapes had been lit.

The room was still quite large, but nothing in comparison to the smothering enormousness of the outside hall. The lamps couldn’t quite reach the corners of the ceiling, but they lit just enough that Yugi felt much more comfortable - until the glitter of gold caught his eye.

 The lamps illuminated brilliant, gilded artifacts - jugs, bowls, statues set upon tables made of dark wood and gold, carved and sculpted with lions and jaguars. Pillows and rolled swathes of fine linen were draped across chests, elegant and comfortable looking chairs and lounges framing the walls. And that was just what he could see - the darkness hid the rest of the undoubted opulence that continued into the room.

 The walls were either covered in deeply colored luscious tapestries, or elaborately carved and painted, beautiful and bright and pristinely kept.

 Yugi had to remind himself to breathe.

 “This - this is - “ he tried to speak, but words escaped him. This was the most intact and extensive collection of Egyptian relics that he had ever seen. He couldn’t see enough of the room’s contents to make an exact guess of what kind of person could have owned the tomb, but the lushness and obvious abundance of wealth left him with only a few options.

 While Yugi had been gaping around, the creature had deposited the little lamp back by his side and withdrawn away from the doorway, back into the darkness before Yugi even thought to try and get a quick glimpse of it. He stared out the doorway, only able to see the barest glimmer of light against the creature’s mask.

 “... you’re hiding.” Yugi said, a little disappointed.

 The creature said nothing.

 “Why are you so set on hiding in the shadows? It’s not like I haven’t at least gotten a glimpse of you.” Yugi said, raising and dropping his hand in a dismissive manner.

 Again, he was answered with silence.

 He sighed, rolling his eyes before giving up. He wasn’t that dead set on seeing exactly how the creature looked - curious, yes - but not burningly so. What was more annoying was the inconvenience of having the only thing willing to assist you also trying to avoid contact like the plague.

 “Look, can you at least like… get me some pillows? I’m kind of sore from sitting on the floor all the time.” Yugi said - the archeologist in him loathed to even touch the ancient relics with his bare hands, but the more practical side of himself said that the ache in his body was worth it.

 The creature shifted, stepping forward to comply almost automatically, but stopping itself before it set foot inside the doorway.

 Yugi let out an aggravated groan, before slapping his good hand across his eyes. “For pete’s sake - there! I can’t see! Can you please help me now?!” He exclaimed exasperatedly.

 His mouth screwed in a frown, Yugi listened as sounds of scraping and shuffling, fabric being moved as the creature did… something. Yugi was itching to peek, just to move a finger and peer out through the gap, but he was a man of his word.

 He waited until the sounds faded, and the creature cleared its throat lightly.

 Laid out on the stone in front of Yugi was a veritable nest of pillows and fabric, inviting and plush and easy to roll into.

 The creature knew how to build a pillow fort; Yugi thought amusedly, before with some grunting and shifting he managed to flop into the nest of pillows, and he couldn’t help but moan in relief. _So_ much better than limestone floor.

 After sleeping on stone for what felt like forever - but Yugi hoped had only been a day or so - his sore and aching body nearly wept in relief at the contrasting plushness of the pillows. Despite being however millennia old, they held up quite well, the linen not worn and the plush insides still springy.

 As he felt his body sink into the fabric, Yugi found himself dozing lightly - not quite sleeping yet, but after all the excitement from earlier, he felt he deserved a bit of a rest.

 The sound of the creature settling down on the stone outside the doorway only made him feel safer - safer than he’d ever felt since he first got dumped down here.

 So, he allowed himself to drift off in actual restful sleep.

 

* * *

 

What was possibly hours later found Yugi awake. Awake and bored.

 Yugi never dealt very well with being bored.

 The creature positively jumped when Yugi chucked one of his pillows at it - it must have been facing away from the doorway, judging from its startled sputtering.

 “I’m bored.” Yugi stated simply when the creature stuck its head in the doorway indignantly, too offended to remember its self-imposed rule of do-not-see.

 “How wonderful for you. That does not give you the right to throw things at me.” The creature said dryly, the pillow dwarfed in its grip.

 Yugi grinned up at the creature, keeping silent on the fact that it had stuck its entire head into the light of the lamps for him to see perfectly.

 He quickly took in the sight of proper details of the creature - it had what appeared to be a long face completely hidden by the mask, its ears long and furred but familiar looking, almost like someone had taken a human ear and stretched it from the tip by an impossible amount. The ears were dripping in gold, earrings opulent and glittering from tip to stem with a set of heavy-looking ankh earrings dangling from the lobes. Its two long, smooth horns jutting out from its skull were winged and surrounded by deep, soft looking auburn fur, highlighted elegantly in streaks of blonde.

 Yugi noted a detailed he had overlooked before - peeking from under the mask, framing the strong jawline of the creature were golden streaks of hair… bangs, almost? The little amount of the creature’s face he could see - the jaw - appeared furless, skin tanned and sun-kissed despite the darkness of its home.

 He took a few moments more to drink in what he could see of the creature, it still staring at him pointedly as if demanding an apology for his pillow attack.

 “I like your earrings.” Yugi decided to finally say.

 The creature jolted and gasped, abruptly shocked and remembering itself, and immediately tried to withdraw into the shadows - only to cry out in shock when its horns caught on the stone doorway with a loud clack, tilting its head forward roughly and knocking its mask askew slightly.

 Yugi stared with wide eyes before bursting out in laughter for the second time, the sight too much for him to resist. The extremely offended and almost panicked manner in which the creature quickly grabbed its mask and clamped it back down onto its face, retreating back to the shadows only made him laugh harder, being forcefully reminded of a turtle retreating back to its shell.

 “I’m _so_ glad you find my discomfort amusing!” The creature suddenly hissed out venomously, and Yugi sobered immediately, his own words being thrown back at him.

 There was a few beats of silence, the creature’s breathing heavy and angry while Yugi looked away, stunned and regretful.

 “...Sorry.” Yugi said eventually, and all he got in return was an animalistic grunt.

 Yugi groaned, and rolled to look at the doorway.

 “I really am sorry. I didn’t mean to trick you - I had only been trying to get your attention. I didn’t expect you to stick your head in the door.” He explained.

 “You could have easily gotten my attention in a much easier, less offending manner.” The creature said, tone short and clipped.

 “By what, saying ‘hey, you?’ It’s not like I know your name.” Yugi said, rolling his eyes.

 The creature stilled, not a sound coming from it.

 “...Did I say something wrong?” Yugi ventured, the feeling of treading carefully on old wooden stairs, trying not to make any noise suddenly overcoming him.

 The creature was hesitant, almost… ashamed when it eventually replied.

 “I… I do not… have a name.”

 The sensation of cool water trickling down his spine was strong as Yugi digested the creature's words, his mind zipping over his knowledge of ancient Egyptian rites and rituals.

 “But… you _have_ to have a name. Names - names are everything to your people!” Yugi exclaimed, almost offended for the creature.

 He heard rough jingling - the creature shaking its head quickly, ashamedly.

 “I do not have a name, nor a people… to my knowledge. All I have ever known - all I can remember is… this.” The creature said, quietly.

 Yugi suddenly imagined a life like this, living for as long as one could remember in the dark, nothing but screaming monsters for companions, the only contact with the outside world in the form of criminals attempting to steal what one had been set to guard.

 He felt an overwhelming wave of pity sweep over him.

 “I’m - “

 “Do _not_ pity me.” The creature cut him off bitingly, knowingly. “I do not need your misguided sympathy. This is my existence, my purpose. It is what I am meant to do, and it is what I shall do to the best of my ability till I am no longer needed.” it said, bitter pride coloring its words.

 Yugi imagined the creature puffing out its chest, standing tall and proud despite its undoubted pain, even prouder for that fact.

 He found there was nothing he could say in reply to such a statement.

 The two of them fell into silence, the creature obviously done with the topic and Yugi knowing when to not push.

 He sat and stewed in the quiet, eyes tracing the carvings on the wall and ceiling. He’d try to make out some of the text, but it’s too far for him to try and make it out properly, the lighting too dim.

 “... You know, I never told you my name.” Yugi eventually said.

 He felt the creature's attention turn to him slightly.

 “Yugi. Motou Yugi.” He said, using his native language’s tradition of surname first.

 The creature stayed silent, and Yugi thought the conversation was over.

 Then...

 “Yoo-jii.”

 Yugi sputtered lightly, and sat upright. “Wha?”

 “Your name. Yoo-jii.” The creature said, and Yugi realized it had been trying to pronounce his name.

 “No, no you’re pronouncing it all wrong. It’s Yugi. Yu-gee.” he said, over-pronouncing each syllable and smiling lightly.

 The creature paused, and Yugi imagined it chewing on its lip in thought.

 “Yu-jii.” It tried again, almost embarrassed.

“Closer! It’s ‘gee’ - not ‘jee’ - hard sound. Where are you getting that pronunciation from? Everything else you’ve said sounds like Japanese to me, with a bit of an accent, but still.” Yugi said, genuinely curious and quite happy.

 “Perhaps… it is because it is a name, not -  not something else? Names are… important. So it is important that they be correct.” The creature said, hesitantly.

 Yugi was quiet for a few breaths, then his smile grew wider.

 “Try one more time. I’m sure you’ll get it right! Yu-gee.” he encouraged.

 The creature was silent, then it tried again.

 “...Yugii.”

 Yugi’s smile grew to a grin.

 “Close enough!”


	6. Chapter 6

Yugi and the creature were at a standoff.

Silence filled the room, but it was no means awkward or tense for once. Instead, it was charged, excitement and the thrill of challenge thrumming in the air.

Finally, Yugi cast the sticks, and the creature scoffed lightheartedly as Yugi’s piece jumped two of his, and gained the lead.

“Pretty good for a beginner, eh?” Yugi grinned, leaning back into his throne of pillows as the creature carefully picked up the sticks with its fingers, and tossed them clattering against the stone.

It was Yugi’s turn to let out an indignant sound as the creature cast a high number, and jumped to the lead once more.

“Says the one who has only experienced senet thrice before.” it said, amusement in its voice, and Yugi smiled as he grabbed the sticks for his turn again.

About an hour before, after a long discussion about pronunciation, the creature had finally managed to pronounce Yugi’s name properly. Normally Yugi didn’t mind too terribly - having travelled the world and heard his name butchered and skewed in multiple languages - but the creature had been so earnest in its attempts to properly say his name, Yugi didn’t have the heart to dismiss its efforts. It was kind of endearing, if he allowed himself.

They had lapsed back into silence after a while however, and Yugi began flinging ideas at the creature. Along with a few more pillows, which the creature begrudgingly flicked back at him.

It wasn’t until Yugi whined that he’d give anything for a game to play right then, that the creature perked.

Yugi could have sworn that its tail was wagging when it asked Yugi to elaborate, and he told of his borderline obsession of games - though he downplayed his skill humbly. He may have been the King of Games as a teen, but university and studies had long since turned that title into a past hobby.

Yugi found himself rewarded with the incredibly amusing sight of the creature suddenly trying to wedge its way into the doorway - oil lamps be damned, it seemed ‘games’ was the magic word, as the creature wriggled its way into the room like a fat cat trying to squeeze itself through a tiny cat door.

Yugi had to smoosh a pillow against his mouth to keep his giggles from being heard as the creature somehow managed to fit both arms and shoulders into the room, the rest of itself trailing behind as it delicately tried to search for something amidst the opulence and luxury and simultaneously keeping from squashing Yugi.

Luckily for itself, amidst the immense amount of fur and - feathers? The thing had wings? - it had mostly blocked the oil lamps from giving Yugi a good view of itself, though he eventually got an excellent view of the creature’s beaded and bejewelled collar.  There was an enormous carved lapis lazuli scarab the size of Yugi’s head inlaid into it, and more precious jewels than Yugi cared to let himself think about stringed along it.

With a sudden sound of triumph, the creature pulled back from its searching with a chest in hand - literally, in hand, a cedar chest that would have taken two men to lift; the creature was carrying effortlessly with one hand.

It jimmied its way backwards back out of the doorway till only its front half remained, and it opened the chest and began rummaging around inside with two fingers, till it found what it was looking for.

It placed a small box, longer than it was wide on the floor between them, and lifted its head towards Yugi like an excited pet. Yugi couldn't help but imagine the creature’s eyes wide and sparkling in expectant excitement - if it even actually had eyes.

Yugi looked down at the box, shuffling himself a little closer to inspect it in the dim light. It was about as long as his forearm, a wooden rectangle with a grid of blue stone squares set into the surface and sides. The painted symbols were familiar…

It clicked suddenly.

“Senet?!” Yugi exclaimed, looking up quickly at the creature. It nodded, jewellry jingling.

“Do you play?” It said, expectant and more excited than he’d ever heard the creature before.

Yugi looked back down at the box in awe. In front of him was a pristine and impeccable, one hundred percent genuine Egyptian Senet board, obviously lovingly cared for and utterly priceless.

Yugi suddenly felt extremely dirty.

“I - I’ve seen it before, but the rules - I’m not sure if the rules I know are correct.” he said hesitantly, self-consciously rubbing his hands on his pants. Not that it’d do much anyways, he felt completely caked in grime and dirt, his hair clumped together greasily. Normally he’d have to wear gloves and a lab coat to even breath near artifacts like this.

And here he was, lounging amidst antiquities and heirlooms that half the peers in his field would gladly give their left limbs to even look at. He had even drooled on the linens during his nap earlier.

“That is fine, I would be more than glad to teach you the rules.” The creature said, reaching forward and sliding the box open. Yugi swallowed back a whine at the bright blue playing markers - the whole thing was probably made of pure turquoise, Yugi realized - as the creature unceremoniously dumped them onto the stone, the wooden sticks serving as dice clattering after them.

As the creature started setting the pieces upright, preparing the game, Yugi found himself withdrawing, folding his arms against his chest awkwardly.

He shouldn’t be here. Injuries and life-threatening situation aside, he was sitting playing sleepover in the biggest archeological and historical find of the century, sleeping on artifacts, playing games with priceless relics. It made his gut squirm in guilt.

He was being utterly disrespectful. What he was doing would probably get himself kicked out of his field if they knew what he was doing. Will probably - if he ever got out of here alive.

“Yugi.”

“Hmm?” He jolted, the creature’s deep voice yanking him out of his spiralling pit of self-deprecation.

“Are you well?” it asked, head tilted and voice tinted with concern. Before it, the game was ready and waiting to be played.

Yugi sunk deeper into his pillow nest as he looked away. “I - uh. I… shouldn’t touch that. It’s… it’s too valuable.” he said.

Jewellry tinkled as the creature shifted.

“I do not understand.” It said.

Yugi waved his good hand about him. “It’s - it’s too valuable! I could damage it, get it dirty! It’s probably worth my weight in money, hell - probably more. Let alone the fact that it’s in perfect condition. And those! - “ he flung his hand out pointing to the golden boxes and tables littering the room.

“I’d probably never be allowed to even sneeze near one of those in a museum! I’m sitting in the middle of something my peers would give their lives to even get a glimpse of, and you’re asking me to play a game with something that is nearly impossible to price?!”

The creature remained silent as Yugi groaned and flung his head back onto his nest, dragging his greasy hand down his gritty face.  

“I do not understand your reluctance, but while I respect your opinions, I do believe you are - hmm - escalating a simple situation.” it spoke, trying to find the right phrase.

“What on earth do you mean?” Yugi groaned out, rolling his head upright.

“Whatever value you put on the objects in this room, they are not worth more than your comfort or life. They are objects, things that can be replaced. You, however, cannot.” It said.

Yugi stared back at it goggle-eyed.

“You - these things _can’t_ be replaced! Not a single one! These are relics of a bygone age, windows into a life we in the present can only catch glimpses of. To lose a single item from this room would be a terrible, awful thing! I’ve dedicated my life to the preservation of history, and I’d be damned if I let myself ruin a historical artifact just because I needed a good night’s sleep!” Yugi yelled, face turning hot as his emotions swelled.

“And yet, here I am, lounging about on... on… said priceless relics I so-called swore to protect and preserve.” He finished miserably, slumping forward with his face in his hand.

Yugi’s breathing settled as the creature digested his rant.

“While I may not fully understand your opinions, again, I respect them. But I insist, whatever value your put on the objects in this room, you are worth just as much, if not more. No bedding can possibly be worth more than your comfort and healing. And just by you using said... relics, should not devalue them. If anything, they should increase their value, for they are being used for their proper purpose. What good is a pillow one cannot lie on? What good is a game if one is not playing it?” It said, and Yugi peeked out between his bangs to see the creature gently placing a marker on top of the senet board.

“Oh yeah? And what about the fact that these are supposed to be the items that someone was supposed to take with them to the afterlife? Wouldn’t it be sacrilege that I’m in here in the first place, let alone using them?” Yugi said dryly, rubbing his forehead.

The creature was silent for a few moments, deliberating.

“I’m sure that considering the circumstances, the person who rested here would be more than glad to share their possessions with you. It is only temporary, after all.” It said finally.

Yugi sighed and sat more upright. Temporary… if he was lucky. Otherwise, it looked like the person entombed here was just going to have to deal with their new roommate.

“Who’s buried here, anyways?” He asked, only catching after the words were already out that what he said could be very offensive.

“... I do not know.” The creature said, and actually seemed confused that it did not know in the first place.

Yugi stared at the creature, and it stared back silently for quite a few moments, before Yugi shook his head, raising his hand in the universal ‘whatever’ gesture. As if things weren’t confusing enough already. He didn’t want to think about this stuff any more.

“So. Senet.” He said resignedly, and the creature perked, sufficiently distracted from its confused musing.

 

* * *

  

“How can you see with that mask over your face?” Yugi said around a mouthful of roasted fish, swallowing down the tasteless food heavily. “I don’t see any eyeholes on it.”

The creature paused, the fish it was cooking over the small firepit it had made outside of the room Yugi was in turning a bit black.

“One can see without using their eyes fairly well.” It said eventually, gingerly handing over the skewered fish. It had been adamant on being the one to cook Yugi’s food now, seeing as how Yugi had been more or less quarantined in the ‘safe room’ by it.

Yugi rolled his eyes as he grabbed the stick. “Yeah, if you’re a bat. But even with how big your ears are -” the creature’s long ears twitched self-consciously “I doubt you use echolocation.”

The creature was silent, obviously trying to mentally translate what Yugi had said. Yugi was too tired with the whole ordeal to bother elaborating.

“Indeed.” The creature eventually said, one hand coming up to fiddle with an enormous earring.

Yugi finished off his fish in silence, wiping his hands on his already grimy pants and grimacing when they came off no cleaner than they had before. He couldn’t hold back a frustrated groan, the creature tilting its head slightly in his direction.

“What is wrong?” it said lightly.

Yugi shook his hand in mid-air like doing that would clean it off of the dirt and fish scales stuck to his fingers. “I’m just - ugh, I’d kill for a bath right now. Hot water, anything. I’m all sweaty and dirty and bloody and I feel like I haven’t washed in a week.” he blurted out, uncaring of his choice of words.

Gracefully, the creature seemed to ignore the certain phrasing he used. “You wish to bathe?” it said, sounding slightly confused.

“Yes. Wash. Bathe. At least get SOME of this grime off me or I’m going to go crazy.” Yugi said frustratedly, and he missed the creature raise a hand to rub at its chin in thought.

Suddenly the creature stood up, surprising Yugi.

“Wh - “

“I will find you a washbasin.” The creature cut Yugi off, the only thing he could see of the creature were it’s feet and shoulders in the light of the dying firepit - the creature was so damned big it stood way taller than the doorframe.

“Where the heck are you gonna find me one of those?” Yugi said, bewildered.

“I believe I have seen something that will substitute as what you need… somewhere. It has been many years since I last was curious enough to explore… I must find you something that I can heat water over the fire with as well… yes…” The creature was utterly lost in its own musings, seemingly invested in the thought of providing more care for Yugi.

“I will return.” It said suddenly, and with a few wide strides it was gone, the sound of clinking jewellry fading into the darkness.

“Hey - WAIT - “ Yugi started, but the creature was long gone, absorbed in its own thoughts and the darkness beyond the doorway.

Yugi let out a strangled sound - that thing drove him crazy! He couldn’t figure it out, its train of thought seemed utterly random at times, jumping track effortlessly at the slightest provocation.

Left to his own devices, Yugi was bored again. At the very least he didn’t feel frightened - whatever wards the creature said were placed in the room, they did the trick. Any darkness in this room was of the standard absence of light darkness, not - whatever it was that was out there.

He really needed to remind himself to ask the creature to elaborate on the whole ‘Shadows’ deal.

It took exactly five minutes before Yugi nearly went stir crazy, and next thing he knew he was wriggling along the floor to the nearest table with an oil lamp upon it, grunting and huffing as he hoisted himself upright using his good arm and leg.

He leaned heavily on the gilded table, huffing with effort. It took immense focus not to forget himself and lean on his bad leg - while the general pain had deadened to a dull roar (something Yugi was quite concerned about) any movement or weight on the leg nearly made him buckle to the floor again.

Stubbornly, he started slowly working his way around the room, dragging a small oil lamp with him across tables and chests as he explored. The creature had said ‘what use are items not being used for their proper purpose?’ Well, right now their purpose was to try and keep Yugi from being bored out of his skull. And so far, they were doing a good job - the more he revealed in the light, the more enthralled he became - whoever’s tomb this was, they were extremely important. Perhaps a high lord? No, the opulence and gold and precious jewels meant this person’s status was even higher than that.

Yugi caught movement from the corner of his eye, jumped and yelled - and met his reflection staring back at him in bewildered bronze. He had stumbled across a vanity, lions molded from gold roaring from the corners of the lacquered cedar. A large, circular mirror made of beaten and polished bronze, miraculously not having turned green and dull despite the ages passed, stared his startled gaze back at him and Yugi couldn’t help but groan at his disheveled appearance. The brown metal made his complexion seem warm, but there was no hiding the dried blood in his hairline and the still-healing black eye.

Wrenching his eyes from the mirror, he found a twin set of elegant boxes inlaid with mother-of-pearl on either side of the mirror - one held jewelry, rings and bracelets and earrings of immeasurable wealth. The other held impeccably preserved Egyptian makeup - kohl sticks and eyeshadow made of crushed malachite, lip stain of red ochre and other incredible things.

Yugi itched to touch them, inspect them and marvel at their majesty. But one look at his dirtied hands, nails rough and dirt packed, made him quickly tug his hands away.

He wrenched himself away, and his in the reflection his eyes caught more glitterings of gold in the back of the room, shrouded in darkness.

Ever so carefully, Yugi raised the oil lamp off the table and towards the center of the room, his eyes widening at what he found.

In back of the room, placed upon a central raised dais, was a golden throne. True to history, it wasn’t overly large, but it was glittering in warm tones, the seat and raised back inscribed with symbols and scarabs.

With careful, tottering steps Yugi shuffled forward, grimacing each time he put weight on his bad leg. Pain aside, this was something he _had_ to see.

The closer he got with the lamp, the more he could see, and his eye was caught by another staring up at him. Set upon the seat of the throne was a gilded pyramid, a raised eye of wadjet staring up from the topmost surface. It rested on its side, the flat ‘bottom’ of the pyramid holding a large loop of gold, with a braided leather strip strung through it.

A pendant of some sort, Yugi thought, although the pyramid was as big as his two fists put together.

Is it made of solid gold? Yugi found himself wondering, his splinted right arm reaching forward, almost… drawn to it, Yugi unable to break his gaze from the golden eye staring up at him judgmentally from the center of the pendant.

His fingertips just brushed the smooth surface of the pyramid...

**_“Yugi!”_ **

 

* * *

 

_“ . ..  .!”_

_“My Pharaoh!”_

_Yugi turned around, watching bemusedly as young girl ran up to him. He waited patiently as she bent over with her hands on her knees, gulping in air as she tried to catch her breath._

_“Yes, Mana? What is it?” Yugi said, his voice surprised him for a second with how low it was, smooth and deep in his chest. But the surprise faded like it wasn’t there in the first place, and he crossed his arms, rings glittering in the setting sunlight._

_“You promised that you’d meet me in your private garden after your audiences today! I even worked really hard to make sure all my homework was done, I dashed out before Mahado could give me any more for the evening.” the girl pouted, voice still lightly breathless as she raised to her full height and pouted, liquid brown eyes shining with hurt._

_Yugi tsked, turning his head sharply to the side. He knew he had forgotten something._

_“I’m sorry, Mana. Today’s audiences took much longer than anticipated, the traders were… exceedingly stubborn. It took forever to finally get them to meet an acceptable compromise.” He said regrettably, brushing his blonde bangs out of his face to look at his old friend squarely._

_Mana saw the regret in his features and dropped her pout, shrugging her shoulders._

_“It’s alright. I know you didn’t mean to forget. Such is the neverending job of the Pharaoh, right?” She said, grinning a little._

_Yugi groaned. Neverending, indeed._

_“You know well that I’d give anything to have things the way they used to be. I’m actually finding myself missing my lessons with you and Mahado - yes, it’s been that bad lately.” he finished at Mana’s gasp - actually missing Mahado’s lectures! Well, he was an exceptional teacher, but he could be a little heavy-handed with the homework, something that Mana moaned about on a daily basis._

_Mana clasped her hands over her chest pityingly - Yugi had a flash of anger run through him, but abandoned it quickly. His friends knew he hated being pitied, but they didn’t do it to be mean. They just honestly forgot sometimes._

_“Well, our playdate may have been missed, but are you free now? I’m aching for a rematch of our last game of pick up sticks - I know you cheated!” She said, pointing at him with her short curled staff - Yugi gingerly pointed it away from his face with his index finger._

_“Mana, how dare you! Accuse me of cheating?! Lest you forget the time I caught you making duplicates of your stick pile to try and raise your count.” he said, raising an incredulous eyebrow at his friend. Mana had the decency to blush in shame._

_“I was just practicing my lessons of that day! The stick pile was just… nearby!” she said, swinging her hips side to side in an innocent manner._

_Yugi shook his head good-naturedly._

_“Yes, yes, most handy. As is, you know I never cheat. So I don’t want to hear you accusing me of such an act.” he said, taking Mana’s staff from her hand and tapping her headpiece with it. She gave an indignant squawk and snatched it back, clutching it to her chest._

_“Ah-huh, Oh great Pharaoh - he who rises with the sun - if it’s one thing everyone knows about you, it’s your enormous sense of honor. Sometimes I think it’s going to need it’s own separate tomb just to hold it when you pass on, it’s so big.” Mana said dryly._

_Yugi waved off her teasing loftily - normally it was sacrilege to speak of the Pharaoh’s passing to his face, but with close friends he honestly didn’t care. If his own friends couldn’t speak to him freely, what kind of person did that make him?_

_“Alright, point taken. Now, was I not just challenged to another round of pick up sticks? I didn’t know you enjoyed losing so much, Mana.” Yugi teased, and was rewarded with yet another one of Mana’s signature pouts, her cheeks puffing out indignantly._

_“That’s it, Pharaoh - you’re going down!” She said, waving her staff about angrily, and Yugi jokingly dodged her flailing._

_“Mana, how many times have I told you to stop calling me that? At least when we’re in private. I don’t like my friends calling me by my title when we’re alone.” Yugi scolded, shaking his head at his friend as they started making their way back towards his private gardens._

_Mana smiled, rolling her eyes at her kingly friend._

_“Oh-kay, okay,  ------”_

_“... … . “_

_“Y.. gi..”_

**_“Yugi!”_ **

 

* * *

 

Yugi came to with a shuddering gasp, clutching something to his chest with both hands desperately.

He laid there, heart fluttering wildly in his chest as he remembered himself, the echoes of the - whatever he had just experienced throbbing in his mind. What the hell was that??

With a groan, he tried to sit upright, instinctively using his right hand to push himself up - only to gasp when he succeeded, realizing with a flash that - there was no pain.

Whatever he had been holding to his chest fell heavily into his lap as he brought his right hand up to his face and ripped away the linens binding it with his left - he flexed his fingers, bending his wrist. Aside from a little tenderness, his wrist was in perfect working order.

But it had been completely fractured, he could feel the bones grinding not moments earlier when he had been exploring… he startled when the warm, leathery thing he was sitting on shifted, and he looked up.

The creature had squeezed itself into the doorframe again, cradling Yugi in one enormous hand. Even though he couldn’t see it’s face, concern cascaded off the creature in waves, its ears drooped.

“Yugi! Are you well? You screamed - what happened?” it asked, and Yugi honestly… wasn’t sure.

“I - I just - touched that pyramid? And I suddenly - it was like I was in somebody’s head! I wasn’t me, I was somebody else, and there was this girl named Mana - she kept calling me Pharaoh, I don’t - “ Yugi stuttered, trying to grasp the memories of the vision before they scattered in his head.

The creature heaved a sigh, its whole countenance drooping.

“I had just returned and caught a glimpse of you standing at the back of the room - staring at the pendant. I had just opened my mouth to tell you not to touch it, when you did - and then you screamed! Like it burned you, and crumpled - I just barely caught you before your head hit the floor.” The creature recounted, and Yugi could hear the tremor in its voice. He must have really scared it.

Yugi rubbed at his face with his right hand - still amazed. Had he actually conked his head and just couldn’t feel the pain anymore? No - his left leg still ached badly. This was -

He looked down at his lap, and staring up at him was the blasted pendant. He hadn’t even realized he had grabbed it.

He picked it up again, the creature making a noise of discontent above him. Yugi frowned down at the eye, and the eye frowned back up at him. It looked eerily similar to the one on the creature’s mask - Yugi looked up at the creature just to be sure, and yup - it was a dead match.

“What is this?” Yugi said.

The creature made another unhappy noise, as if it didn’t want to even accept the pendant’s existence.

“I’m - I’m not sure. I just - I just know you shouldn’t have touched it. It’s… it’s not good.” it said in a hesitant, evading manner, but the unsure tone in its voice made clear that it truly didn’t know why it was so afraid of the pendant.

Yugi looked back down at the pendant. It was heavy, but not achingly so, and the metal was oddly lukewarm, as if it had absorbed the heat from Yugi’s hands and was storing it inside.

“But it healed me.” he said shortly, and the creature twitched above him.

“...it did?” it said, and Yugi raised his right hand and waved it about in front of the creature’s mask.

“Incredible…” the creature said, mystified, and fell into contemplative silence.

Yugi resumed his staring match with the pendant, both hands wrapped around it. His thumbs traced the brick-like pattern carved into the sides - not perfectly even, but more jagged and random - Yugi was reminded of Tetris.

“Well, whatever it is - my hand’s healed, I had a weirdo vision of somebody else, and I stink to the high heavens.” Yugi said flatly, and the creature let out a startled sputter of a laugh above him.

“I… will avoid any comments on the latter note. But I did retrieve a large basin that you should be able to sit in, if you wish to do so.” The creature said, and Yugi could imagine a smile underneath that blasted golden mask.

“Yeah. That’s smart of you.” Yugi said wryly, and was rewarded with a deep vibrating chuckle from his companion.

 


	7. Chapter 7

He mused, running his fingers along the grooves of the pendant, following the pattern. The interlaid sections were irregular and random, not set and patterned like most pyramids. And it was heavy, but comfortingly so, not cumbersome like the size would lead one to believe.

Lit by the oil lamps, Yugi frowned lightly as he studied the pendant, the water he was soaking in now fairly dirty but still bone-achingly warm.

The creature had returned, true to word, with what it had promised - a large, beaten copper washbasin. Big enough that Yugi could sit in it comfortably, but not lay out. Before Yugi could even ask where the hell had the creature been hiding that, it had dashed off again - returning with more metal pots which to gather water and heat it over the fire.

Yugi could only watch bemused as the creature fussed about, all but holding Yugi down against the pillows to keep him from interfering as it gathered linens for drying and washing, and set about heating up the water.

Now when it came to undressing - that was one thing Yugi smacked at the creature’s enormous paws for. Injured he may be, but invalid he was not - also as much as the creature was a monster, he didn’t feel comfortable being nude around it.

So a handful of minutes later found Yugi sitting in the washbasin, scrubbing off the layers of dirt with a cloth (no soap, regretfully) while his broken leg was propped up by a stool at the edge of the basin. Made things a little awkward, but less painful. Meanwhile, the creature sat out by the doorway, watching another heating pot of water over the fire.

“Never figured a monster’d be so domestic.” Yugi said idly, thinking out loud, and over the splashing of his washing he heard the creature shift, the edge of the golden mask peering into the doorway.

The creature merely hummed before resuming its watch over the heating water, and Yugi paused.

“Sorry.” he said, and the creature peeked back in the doorway.

“For what?” it said, and Yugi dragged the cloth across his neck.

“For calling you a monster, I guess.” he shrugged, scrubbing behind his ears.

The creature just kept watching Yugi. It spoke after a few moments.

“I do not mind whatever you call me. As I do not have a name, it does not matter.” It said simply, voice a bit flat. Yugi looked back over his shoulder at the doorway.

“Nobody likes being called a monster. I just… don’t know what you are.” Yugi said, eyes wandering over to where he had laid the pendant, its embossed eye staring at him judgingly.

There was another pause.

“I don’t rightfully know what I am, to be completely honest. I don’t think about it anymore.” The creature said bluntly, and Yugi heard it moving the heating pot of water off the fire, and used the washcloth to cover himself as the creature reached through the doorway with the pot and dumped the warmer water in the basin beside him. He shivered as the heat curled around him.

“Ah - that should be enough water.” he said as the creature withdrew, and he heard it nod, its jewels tinkling.

Yugi resumed washing, thinking about what the creature had said.

“Well… would you want to figure it out? What you are, I mean.” he asked quietly. The creature hummed lightly in thought behind him.

“I do not think it matters, now. I have existed for so long, I do not see the point. I am what I am, and that’s enough.” it said, and Yugi had to chew on his tongue to keep himself from retorting.

Sure, the creature might not want to think about it, but Yugi was burning with questions inside. He’d been thinking of mythology and fantastical creatures all night - night? Day? He couldn’t be arsed to tell at this point - and trying to piece together what the creature might be.

Honestly, Yugi was beginning to tire of calling it ‘the creature’ himself.

“Then can I give you a name?” Yugi said, and jumped at the sudden clonk-clatter of metal pots being scattered.

He looked over his shoulder to see the creature staring at him - well, he guessed it was staring, seeing as how the mask was facing him flat-on, the wide golden eye seeming to emulate the shock that permeated the creature’s form.

“What?” it croaked, the words coming out strangled. Sounded rather funny from it, honestly.

“A name. Or nickname, whatever. I just don’t want to call you like - ‘you’ all the time.” Yugi said, feeling a little second-hand awkwardness seeing as how the creature hadn’t moved from its frozen, shocked crouch.

The creature gave a few false starts, seeming to be trying to find the words to say.

“Uh - n-no, that’s - that’s fine. I - I don’t… need a name.” it managed to squeeze out finally, turning away and busying itself by moving around the metal pots aimlessly, seemingly lost.

Yugi just watched it for a while, until it had calmed a little and stopped with its jittering. He had never guessed that offering to give the creature a name would have been so… startling to it.

He sucked on his lip for a moment.

“If I gave you a name anyways, would it bother you?” Yugi said, and he heard the creature try to hide a soft, overwhelmed noise.

“I - I cannot - it…” the creature stuttered, but it seemed to lose the ability to speak, and only let out strained breaths.

Yugi decided to let it gather itself, and resumed his washing, the water a little tepid now, but he was almost done anyways.

Eventually the creature spoke again, its voice still sounding quite lost.

“I - while I cannot fathom why you would… want to bestow a name upon myself… I do not - it wouldn’t… bother me.” It eventually managed to get out, swallowing so dryly Yugi heard its throat click.

Yugi sighed, wringing the washcloth out and draping it on the side of the basin.

“Alright. But I’m not gonna like, just throw a name at you. I’m gonna wait till the right one comes along, okay?” he said, grabbing a small bowl that was beside the basin and filling it with bathwater, pouring it over his head and shivering as the water rinsed through his greasy hair. Soap or no soap, that felt damn good.

The creature nodded vigorously, its jewellry clinking against its mask it shook its head so violently, seeming to appreciate that it wouldn’t be burdened with a name so soon.

Yugi finished washing himself up, wringing out his hair - damn, it was going to look horrendous without all his usual products and hairdryer. He sighed in resignation before tapping the side of the basin, catching the attention of the creature.

“Can you help me stand up please? But no looking.” He said flatly, and the creature let out a small, squeezed chuckle before reaching a long arm in for Yugi to use as a handhold.

A little later saw Yugi back in his pile of pillows - and dressed in the softest linen clothes he had ever felt touch his body.

Once he had dried off, the creature started shoving a pile of Egyptian clothes at him from who knows where, insisting that he wear that instead of the ‘encrusted filth’ he was wearing before.

Now, Yugi took a little offence at that, but when he got a good look at his dirt and blood-covered clothes, he had let the creature take the clothes without much of a fight. He just made sure to empty the pockets - couldn’t let his lighter and travel journal out of his sight.

Now Yugi was idly picking at his hair - which was sticking up every which way now because of the dry air and lack of soap - while he listened to the creature washing his clothes outside of the doorway, using the rest of the water it had gathered to give them a rinsing.

Eventually he gave up trying to coax his hair into an actual style and not something that looked like it was large and hairy and trying to eat his scalp, and picked up his travel journal, flipping through it and flexing his healed wrist.

He started sketching idly with the tiny pencil he kept stuffed in the leather binding. Some of the gilded furniture he could see, copies of the tapestries and paintings on the wall… eventually his eye fell to the pendant that was laid beside him.

He just couldn’t leave the damn thing alone. It was like second nature, if he moved, the pendant went with him. He never even realized it was in his hand until he had to put it down. To be honest, it kind of creeped him out, but the thought of not having the pendant close by unsettled him even more, so he just accepted it.

The creature, on the other hand, was quite visibly perturbed by the pendant, to the point of avoiding even going near the thing if it possibly could - which considering its size, was quite the feat.

Yugi looked down at the journal to find he had sketched out the pendant, its single eye staring at him out from the crosshatching.

He rolled his eyes and closed the journal with a snap, tucking away the pencil and placing it on the floor by the pendant.

Crossing his arms, he laid back in his nest of pillows and stared up at the ceiling, the flickering light of the tiny lamps making the shadows jump and dance against the edges of his vision.  He let his thoughts wander, little things here and there flitting through his mind as he kept himself from thinking too hard, wanting to just drift for a moment of peace.

The residual warmth from the bath soaked into his bones and the soft fabric against his skin was soothing, relaxing him more than he’d felt in hours - days? He tried not to wonder how long he’d been down there as the gentle numbness of sleep washed over him. 

 

* * *

 

_“My Pharaoh!”_

_Yugi suddenly jostled awake from where he had been listing to the side at his desk, a rather undignified snort coming from him as he just barely caught himself from sliding right off his chair and onto the floor._

_“Yes? I’m listening.” he said instinctively, low voice clear, but he was sure his blearily blinking eyes gave him away._

_His Head Magician sighed and shook his head, arms crossed in the universal mentor’s disappointed pose._

_“No, you were this close by being woken up by the floor. Are you feeling well? It’s not like you to fall asleep in the middle of reviewing the day’s reports.” Mahad said, concern coloring his voice._

_Yugi cleared his throat, stifling a yawn as he rearranged the papyrus scattered across his desk. He noted some of them were wrinkled by his elbow - a shame, those had just been written neatly by the palace scribes not hours ago. He hated damaging their hard work, he knew it wasn’t easy copying the wax tablets out with ink._

_“No, I’m feeling fine. I just dozed off for a moment.” he said, sorting through the reports and finding the topic he had last remembered them talking about._

_Mahado kept silent for a moment before letting out a sigh, letting his crossed arms drop loosely._

_“You haven’t been sleeping well again, have you?” He said knowingly, and Yugi found it hard to meet his previous mentor’s eye._

_“...Perhaps just a few hours here and there. Nothing to be concerned over.” He said with finality, intending for the topic to be closed. But he knew better._

_“Do you need me to request the healers to make you a sleeping draught?” Mahad borderline threatened, and Yugi couldn’t keep himself from making a face at the thought. Just the recollection of the fuzzy, muddled feeling of being drugged made him scowl._

_“No, nothing that drastic. I shall retire to my room earlier tonight to get more rest.” he said, and Mahad nodded, albeit a little reluctantly._

_“You do know if you are feeling stressed in any way, you should confide in myself or Mana. You are our Pharaoh, but before that you are our friend. You can tell us your worries.” Mahad said, and Yugi sagged minutely in his chair._

_As warming as the knowledge that Mahad still considered him a friend, even over the fact he had not only been a student to the Magician, but also still as Pharaoh… he couldn’t tell him about his nightmares._

_It just felt too private._

_“I thank you, my friend. But it is truly nothing to worry about. Just some restless nights.” Yugi said, smiling at his High Magician, and the man nodded before picking up the papyrus he had put down prior._

_“So, shall we? What do you think of the Hittite King’s proposal?” he said, and Yugi all but rolled his eyes._

_“I think he’s - once again - asking for far too much. He always seems to forget that his people need our copper more than we need their iron. The previous king made the mistake of draining all his people’s open copper mines, and now they’re left wanting.” he said, shaking his head before propping it up on one closed fist._

_Mahad nodded, frowning lightly as his eyes scanned the document quickly. “Indeed... but the offer for tin is quite tempting. We could probably negotiate something more fair, but based on past experiences it will most likely take a while before the King will settle on an agreement.” he said._

_“Yes, but I’m still not comfortable with accepting tin from that country. As useful as that metal is, I don’t agree with the employment of children in the mines. Children should not be doing such dangerous work.” Yugi said, a sour taste in his mouth._

_Mahad hummed. “Regretfully, it would be foolish to turn away their trade for such a thing.” he cautioned, and Yugi nodded bitterly._

_“Indeed.” he said, and flipped to the next page._

 

* * *

 

 Yugi jolted awake, the feeling of rough papyrus under his fingers fading to smooth metal, and he looked over to see his hand had slid in his sleep to touch the pendant laying at his side.

He grumbled about stupid not-magical artifacts and stretched, yawning so wide his jaw popped. Weird dreams aside, he felt actually rested. Sleeping on lascivious pillows was infinitely better than the stone floor.

Well, rested until something else called to his immediate attention.

“Hey, fuzzy?” Yugi called out, and was replied with an immense, indignant snort.

“I _beg_ your pardon?” came the voice, dripping with offence, and Yugi couldn’t help but grin as the creature slowly came into view, its great golden mask glittering as it stuck its head in the doorway.

“Fuzzy. What do you think of that name?” Yugi said cheekily, grinning wider as the creature tipped its head to the side slowly.

There was a long, deliberate pause, and Yugi found himself almost wiggling in anticipated delight for the creature’s response.

“As much as I would appreciate your bestowing upon me of a name…” It said slowly, voice dry but betraying its amusement. “... No.”

Yugi burst out cackling, slapping his good leg with his hand, and the creature settled down more comfortably in the doorway as Yugi worked his way through his giggles.

“Okay, okay - no, I was just teasing you, I wouldn’t call you Fuzzy.” Yugi eventually managed, biting his lip through his smile as he caught his breath. “It’s way too predictable.” He said, and the creature lolled its head to the other side.

“Predictable.” it said flatly, and Yugi had to stop himself from rolling off into giggles again.

“Your sense of humor is quite fascinating.” It said, and Yugi puffed out his chest proudly.

“I know, my friends don’t always appreciate how funny I am. I’m glad you do though.” he said, smiling pointedly at the creature, and it just sighed in a self-suffering manner.

“Indeed.” It said, seeming to resign itself to its fate by propping its head up with one fist - which with such a long neck looked like quite the feat in of itself.

Yugi watched the creature for a moment before he felt his bladder throb again.

“I need to pee.” He said bluntly.

“Ah.” the creature said, before shuffling its way out the doorway backwards and extending a hand out to Yugi.

“Do you have anything I can use to walk with? Like, a stick or something? I can do that now that my hand is healed and I’d like to be a little more mobile.” Yugi asked.

“I shall find you something suitable. Can you wait a few moments?” the creature asked, withdrawing its hand, and when Yugi nodded it disappeared into the darkness.

Yugi began humming to himself, trying not to think too hard, but the creature returned fairly quickly with a long piece of smoothed wood, a curved and rounded knob at the end. It a few rough spots in some areas like something had been broken off it at one point.

It was the perfect height for Yugi to lean on as a staff, but it looked like a toothpick in the creature’s hand.

“Where did you get this?” Yugi said as he took it gratefully and leant his weight into it, taking a few testing hobbling steps while the creature kept a hand hovering near him in case he stumbled.

“Somewhere.” It said cryptically, and that was all Yugi could get out of the creature before it picked him up gently, making sure to grab a oil lamp before carrying him out into the darkness.

Thankfully, and mysteriously, ever since touching the pendant the ominous darkness chewing at the edges of their ‘safe zone’ had abated a reasonable amount, and making trips such as this one much less daunting.

Some moments later had Yugi hop-stepping down some dark corridor, the fading light of the lamp shuddering at his back at the corner while the creature waited dutifully out of sight.

This wasn’t fun, specially when Yugi had to keep his balance over the clay pots by leaning his forehead against the rough stone wall, but it was necessary.

Muttering to himself over stupid basic human needs as he turned to hobble back to the creature, he had barely taken three steps when his foot suddenly caught on something, and Yugi let out a loud swear as he pitched forward. Hands automatically coming up and scraping against rough stone, he cursed again as his bad leg screamed when his knee collided with the floor.

He laid there whining when he heard the scrambling thud of steps and suddenly the creature was looming over him.

“Yugi! Are you alright? What happened?” it asked hastily, fretting and hovering as Yugi rolled onto his back with a groan.

“Fucking tripped over something.” he managed to grind out through grit teeth, his hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to breathe through the pain shooting up his leg. Eventually he got the shock under control, and he pushed himself into a sitting position tenderly.

“What the hell did I trip on? There wasn’t anything there a second ago.” He spat out, scrabbling for the oil lamp that the creature had brought with it and lifting it before him.

Just in the light of the lamp, sitting innocently at his feet, was a book.

Curiosity perked though still irate, Yugi leaned forward and picked it up - barely able to lift it with one hand, it was a thick, heavy bound tome. Weathered, and with a hard cover that was decorated with the same, staring eye as the one on the creature’s mask.

“What - why is a book here? Book-binding like this wasn’t seen until at least fifth century Europe.” Yugi muttered, mystified as he brushed a hand over the cover, aches and pain all but forgotten as his fingers traced the raised eye.

He heard a sharp inhale above him, and looked up to see the creature still standing over him.

The creature was literally bristling as it stared at the book in Yugi’s lap, mane all but standing on end ominously and making it appear three times more intimidating than Yugi had ever seen it, the eye on its mask glaring down at him.

“W-what is it?” Yugi asked, looking between the creature and the book.

“ _Don’t._ ” The creature hissed, voice venomous as it suddenly wrapped a forefinger and thumb around Yugi’s chest under his arms, and Yugi sputtered as he barely had enough time to grab his makeshift staff when the creature yanked him upwards and away, the heavy book tumbling to the stone out of his lap.

“What the heck has gotten into you?!” Yugi said as he was dangled six feet off the ground, hands gripping desperately as the fingers encircling him.

“Not good. That’s - that book is bad. You shall not touch it.” It said, leaving the small lamp flickering pitifully on the ground as it suddenly whisked Yugi away, Yugi yelping as it didn’t even bother trying to stand on its hind legs and instead loped awkwardly on three legs with Yugi still hanging in its grip.

Yugi gasped as he hung on tightly in the darkness, the creature’s grip on his chest tighter than was comfortable in its haste as he was swung around, the creature’s gait jostling and swaying him around roughly.

“Will you - gah - _stop_!!” Yugi yelled out, cutting just short of biting his tongue when the creature lurched to a halt at his cry. It paused for a few moments, as if just realizing what it had been doing, before its grip on Yugi shifted, a bit lighter but much more firmly so Yugi wasn’t dangling anymore.

“I - my apologies. I just - I needed to keep you away from… from it.” it stuttered, jewellry jingling.

“Why?!” Yugi asked, sour and hurt from the rough treatment.

“I do not know.” The creature said, and Yugi let out a groan.

“You don’t know an awful lot of things, don’t you?” He spat out bitterly.

The creature didn’t reply, but instead kept them moving forward in relative silence, the whispering of the shadows rustling in the background as they got closer to the soft glow coming from the safe room.

The creature set Yugi down on his feet gingerly in the safety of their haven, and Yugi resisted the temptation to slap at the creature’s fingers as it lingered protectively.

“You’ve got to stop this. I can’t - I’m not a doll! I know that I can’t walk well and stuff but I hate - I hate being picked up and flung around like some kid’s toy!” He exclaimed, gesturing angrily with his free hand while rounding on the creature as it shimmied its way in the doorway.

The creature winced, ears drooping shamefully as it turned its head away from Yugi.

“I deeply apologize. I know my actions were unacceptable and rude but - it was most necessary that I removed you from the book with most haste.” it said, tone very formal and apologetic. It wrung its giant hands while propped up on its elbows, toying nervously with the rings on its fingers.

“It was a book! What was so dangerous about it? Was it gonna grow teeth and bite me?” Yugi scoffed. “Honestly that wouldn’t surprise me at this point!”

The creature refused to meet Yugi’s gaze, accepting Yugi’s bitterness with grace, but refusing to defend itself.

Yugi let out an exasperated, strangled noise before hobbling over to his pillow nest, flopping into it messily - before letting out a surprised grunt as something hard bit into the small of his back.

He vaguely noted the creature perking at his discomfort as he dug around in the pillows for whatever the hell it was.

“Ah.” Yugi suddenly said flatly.

The creature let out a distressed, nervous noise when Yugi pulled the blasted book out of the pillows.


	8. Chapter 8

“I believe I am starting to regret giving you that staff.” The creature said flatly, and Yugi winced a little, caught like a kid stealing candy as he sat with his back turned to the door, hunched over the book while he pored over the pages. 

He slowly closed the book, peering over his shoulder to see the creature’s head stuck in the doorway, ears straight back in an annoyed, disappointed manner. 

“...Why would you say that?” Yugi said lightly, moving to stuff the book under his pillow nest, but with surprising speed the creature reached a long arm into the room, plucked the book out of Yugi’s hands, and promptly chucked it out into the darkness of the tomb, uncaring and aggravated. 

“Perhaps if I had not given you that staff, you may not have come into contact with that accursed book.” It rumbled lowly, and Yugi sighed. 

“Look, judging by how you can’t get rid of the thing no matter how much you try, it probably would have found its way to me somehow anyways.” He said, and the creature grumbled something under its breath. 

And tried it had. 

As soon as Yugi had first pulled the book out of his pillow nest, the creature had snatched it from his hands, and taken off into the darkness. It came back some time later, out of breath, dusty and distinctly distressed. 

Try as he might though Yugi couldn’t get the creature to tell him what it had been doing. Until about half an hour later, when Yugi once again found the book in the safe room, resting innocently on the gilded table nearest him. 

With a deep upset tone, the creature said it had tried to destroy the book - but despite its immense strength, it couldn’t even get it to open, let alone put a scratch on it. So it did the next best thing it could think of. Buried the book under tonnes of rubble. 

The aforementioned book didn’t look any worse for wear when Yugi inspected it and opened it with ease. 

And thus an interesting game began. Each time the book popped back up near Yugi - under his pillows, on a table, once it was found deep in a chest full of cloaks Yugi had been rummaging through boredly - the creature would snatch it away from Yugi’s hands, and take it off somewhere in the darkness. 

And each time it did that, the book still reappeared. One time the creature even tried to drown it, throwing it into that mysterious water source it knew of, only for the book to appear right back in the room. A bit damp, but mostly unharmed. 

It didn’t help the creature’s stress level that each time Yugi found it he tried to keep the creature from taking it from him. But even when Yugi had sat on the book in his attempt to keep it hidden, the creature had found it, and pulled it from his grasp effortlessly. 

Now when the book appeared the creature would just toss the book away somewhere over its shoulder, just in an attempt to keep it out of its vision at least. 

“There’s obviously a reason why it keeps coming back. If anything, reading it would be a way to pass the time.” Yugi huffed, crossing his arms and pouting. 

“Yes, there is a reason. The book is cursed. Can you not sense the dread pouring out of it?” The creature said, flicking its head to the side. 

“No.” Yugi grumbled. “Because curses don’t exist.” 

The creature sighed deeply. 

“Then how, pray tell, do you explain how the book keeps finding its way back to you?” The creature asked. Yugi paused. 

“I’m working on that.” He said stubbornly, and the creature merely huffed out a tired laugh. 

“Look, let me read it, okay? I’m curious. But if I start like - I dunno, speaking in tongues or something, you have my permission to burn the damn thing.” Yugi said, waving a hand dramatically. 

“I have tried that already. The book would not alight.” The creature said dryly, and Yugi was startled enough to sputter out a laugh of his own. 

Worn out and strung out, the creature settled down in the doorway with a groan, folding its arms and resting its head upon the stone floor. Yugi leaned back into his pillow nest, and listened to the creature’s breathing for a few heartbeats. 

“Is it really that bad?” he asked, and the creature seemed to pause, thinking. 

“It is. At least, of what I can sense of it.” It answered, and Yugi sucked on his lip. 

“I still want to read it.” He said, and the creature sighed. 

“I know.” was all it said. 

Without fail, the book reappeared once more near Yugi, its golden spine peeking out from under a roll of silk. Yugi eyed the creature, but it made no move as he shuffled over and pulled the book from its hiding place, and opened it. 

The book was as enigmatic as the last five times he had tried to read it - the written text a jumbled mess of various languages and symbols from various time periods. He could make out a few verses - some Egyptian hieratic here, some Arabian scrawl there. But it was a mess of words. It seemed to have been passed down through many owners, for different handwritten scripts graced the pages - some sentences even crossed out only for new words to be crammed in between the lines. 

It looked to be... a spellbook, of all things. Though he couldn’t make out enough of it to even tell what the spells were from or for. Were they actually prayers - or was the creature right, and it was stuffed to the brim with curses and ill intent? 

Yugi gave himself a little once over - nope, he didn’t feel any worse than he had ten minutes ago. No sudden signs of death or sickness. 

Though he really didn’t like the look of the multicolored splotches across some of the yellowed, weathered pages. He handled those pages very gingerly. 

As he kept himself busy, the creature laid in the doorway silently. He couldn’t tell if it was watching him - or napping. It was hard to tell with that mask on its face. But he wasn’t going to push his luck with asking if the creature could take the golden dome off. It had been enough of a fight just getting it to stop avoiding the light like some sort of damn bug. 

Before he could give himself a headache, he slammed the book shut, the sound making the creature jump a little. Rubbing his eyes - reading in low light was terrible - he glanced at his watch. 

And did a double-take. 

Had he really just spent the last four hours reading that book? 

“You have.” The creature replied - oh, he must have said that out loud. 

Yugi cautiously slid the book onto a nearby table, but the creature still leaned forward and picked up the book, tossing it over its back into the darkness. 

“You know, that only gets funnier the more you do it.” Yugi said. 

“I’m glad my attempt at keeping you safe is a source of amusement for you.” The creature said, and Yugi could only smile.

 

* * *

 

 

Yugi gently spun the pendant in his hands. It wasn’t the first time he’d found himself inspecting the pendant idly in the silence of the tomb, and he had the feeling it wouldn’t be the last. 

It was just… magnetic. He sometimes found himself cradling it to his side like a pet at times, thumb absently rubbing its smooth surface. But that was creepy, and whenever he caught himself he’d hastily set it aside on the cold floor. 

He sighed, rotating the pendant until he met the unblinking gaze of the Eye of Wadjet. 

Running his index finger over the raised eye, he started to lose focus, a vague, floating feeling overcoming the back of his mind. He didn’t feel overly worried though, for some reason… more like grains of sand trickling through a hourglass, were slowly emptying himself out as his vision wavered. 

He watched as his skin took on a golden tone, rings shimmering into view, when he heard the echoed giggles of a child. 

Yugi looked up.

 

* * *

 

 

_“Prince!”_  

_Yugi’s eyes met deep cocoa, and he jumped a little when Mana’s smiling face filled his vision._  

_“Mana! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” He pouted, pursing his lips as he frowned at her. She only giggled at him once more, bouncing on her feet._  

_“Whacha got there?” She asked, cheeks round with child chubbyness, and she looked much, much younger than he last remembered seeing her._  

_The thought faded though - how could he know what she’d look like when she was grown up? He was scarcely a year younger than her, and he looked down at his own small, rounded fingers gripping his father’s precious pendant._  

_He could barely hold the thing up, it was so immense, but there was no way he’d ever drop it. Yugi let it rest back against his belly, the cord so long that even knotted shorter at the nape of his neck, the cool gold pressed against his bellybutton._  

_“It’s the God Pyramid, silly! Father - uh, the Pharaoh asked me to watch it for him for a few hours!” Yugi said proudly as Mana gaped at him._  

_“No way! There’s no way that the Pharaoh would let you play with it - Teacher never lets me touch the God Ring, not even to just look at it!” Mana squealed, her turn to pout jealously._  

_“I’m not playing with it!” Yugi shouted, scandalized. “I’m protecting it! He said it’s my responsibility, and I’m gonna take good care of it!” he said, crossing his arms as the Pyramid bounced against him heavily. He hoped it wasn’t gonna make his neck sore, it weighed an awful lot…_  

_Mana waved her hand carelessly, small wooden practice staff clutched in her grip._  

_“Yeah, yeah, I know you will. Anyways, Teacher sent me to get you! You’re late for our trip!” She said, and Yugi gasped out loud._  

_The trip! He was supposed to meet with High Priest Mahad for some special trip that their teacher had specifically asked the Pharaoh permission for. He’d been looking forward to it all week, how could he have forgotten?!_  

_“Let’s go then!” He said rushed, and darted past Mana down the hallway, the girl easily catching up with him - only a year older and she was always taller than him no matter what he tried._  

_But Yugi was still quick on his feet, and despite her height Mana was puffing trying to keep up with his pace._  

_Within moments they turned a corner and there was their teacher, the priest looking relieved at first sight, but his expression twisted a little when they got closer and he spotted the Pyramid dangling around Yugi’s neck._  

_“Ah, Young Prince, I see the Pharaoh has entrusted you with the Pyramid today…” he said, apprehension coloring his voice, but Yugi was too excited to take notice._  

_“Yeah! I’m gonna take the best care of it!” he almost shouted, and Mahad let a small smile cross his face._  

_“I’m sure you will, Prince. Thank you for retrieving him, Mana.” he noted, and Mana glowed with the praise._  

_“Yessir! Now will you tell us where we’re gonna be going today? I can’t wait any longer!” She shouted, wiggling in anticipation, and Mahad couldn’t help but chuckle as Yugi wiggled alongside her._  

_“Alright, I may as well tell you. I got us permission to enter the Pharaoh’s personal shrine in the palace, the shrine of Amun-Ra.” he said, and couldn’t help but smirk when his student’s jaws dropped in unison._  

_The Pharaoh’s shrine?! Even Yugi himself had never been allowed in, only the Pharaoh was allowed access! Yugi pointed this out to his teacher - a little too loud, but he was too excited to watch his volume for once._  

_“Yes, normally only the Pharaoh is able to enter the shrine, but he is also allowed to grant others access if he so wishes - which he did.”_

_Yugi and Mana nearly vibrated out of their skin. Normally shrines and temples weren’t all that exciting, but the prospect of this being a ‘forbidden’ area made it all the more special. Plus, the fact of not having to sit around and study scrolls for hours at end had wound the both of them up exponentially._  

_“Okay, okay, settle down now.” Mahad said when Yugi and Mana began bouncing around him in circles, chuckling as the two of them managed to reign in their enthusiasm. This was a sacred place they were going to visit after all, and it wouldn’t do any good to anger the gods by a show of disrespect._  

_Mahad stepped forward and Mana and Yugi fell into step beside him, already bombarding him with questions._  

_“I’m taking you to the shrine because it will be a valuable learning experience - also it’s high time that you had a polishing up on your prayers to the gods. I don’t care what you say, I know you haven’t been reciting your prayers each fortnight like you’re told to.” He side-eyed the two children, and while Yugi had the decency to look bashful, Mana just grinned back cattishly._  

_Mahad rolled his eyes as they travelled deeper into the palace, guards becoming more numerous the further into the Pharaoh’s part of the palace they went._  

_Eventually they came upon an enormous door, wood and metal brilliantly painted with the sun-disk and many other forms the great god took._  

_Nodding to the guards - whom had been notified about the trip earlier, the men stepped forward and gripped the handles and pulled them forward with a giant heave. The door groaning ominously under its own weight._  

_Mana had taken to gripping at Mahad’s robes with one hand, the other holding her tiny staff close to her chest, but Yugi was sparkling, eyes wide as the shrine was slowly revealed to them._  

_The room was quite large, the sound of the door grinding against its joints shuddering through the high-ceilinged room. Tall, thin windows sat high on the walls and sent brilliant shafts of light that bounced off the pale floor and illuminated the room surprisingly well._  

_As soon as the doors closed behind them, Yugi dashed forward, the sound of his bare feet slapping against stone echoing through the chamber._  

_“It’s so big!!” He cried out, arms stretched up as he twirled around a few times in the center of the room. Mahad chuckled as he followed behind the young prince at a slower pace._  

_“Yes, it is. But try to be respectful - there is a god present.” He reminded, pointing forward, and Yugi turned and gasped at the enormous, golden statue of Ra set against the far wall._  

_The god’s falcon head stared down at them judgingly, the golden disc upon his head glimmering in the reflected light._  

_Yugi immediately sobered, arms tucked behind his back as he tiptoed backwards until he was at his mentor’s side._  

_Mahad placed his hand on Yugi’s head and patted a few times comfortingly. “It’s alright. I’m sure Ra appreciates your enthusiasm.”_  

_The two small students followed Mahad’s lead as he knelt in front of the statue solemnly, Mana’s hand still clutching his robes. He bowed down a few times, palms flat on the stone before him, and Yugi and Mana mimicked him._  

_“Now, here is where we’d recite a prayer or hymn towards the god. Do you two remember any of the verses that you were taught?” Mahad asked patiently, and while Mana’s face scrunched up in thought, Yugi’s hand shot up._  

_“I do, I do!!! It’s one of my favourites!!” He said, and Mahad nodded his head for Yugi to proceed._  

_“Uh - uhm - He is... the… mmh...” Yugi started out stuttering, frowning as the words tumbled around in his head. “I - I remember the second half better than the first…” he said sheepishly, looking up at his teacher through his bangs._  

_Mahad could only chuckle. “That is al right. How about you recite what you do remember, and I’ll help you with the rest?”_

  _Yugi beamed._  

_“Okay - so… He - he maketh_ _live the fish in the river, and the geese and the feathered fowl of the sky. He giveth air to the creature that is in the egg. He nourisheth the geese in their pens…” Yugi stuttered for a moment, but quickly brightened when the rest came to him._  

_“He maketh to live the water-fowl,and the reptiles and every insect that flieth. He provideth food for the mice in their holes, he nourisheth the flying creatures on every bough.” He finished in triumph, and looked up at his mentor expectantly._

  _“Very good. That’s one of the main hymns towards Ra.” Mahad said, and momentarily looked over to Mana on his other side. “Do you remember the first half?”_  

_Mana blushed. “I… I just remember something about eyes and cows….”_  

_“Very well then, be sure to pay attention.” Mahad said, before closing his eyes and taking a small breath._

_“He is the Form One, the creator of everything that is._

_The One only, the creator of things that shall be.*_

_Men and women proceeded from his two eyes. His utterance became the gods._

_He is the creator of the pasturage wherein herds and flocks live, and the staff of life for mankind._

_He maketh to live the fish in the river, and the geese and the feathered fowl of the sky._

_He giveth air to the creature that is in the egg. He nourisheth the geese in their pens._

_He maketh to live the water-fowl, and the reptiles and every insect that flieth._

_He provideth food for the mice in their holes, he nourisheth the flying creatures on every bough.”_  

_The hymn rang out softly in the echoing chamber, and at the second verse Yugi piped up with his small voice to sing along with his teacher. As the last words faded, Yugi found himself grinning._  

_“You have a really nice voice, teacher!” Mana burst out, and a brilliant blush curled across her cheeks when Mahad started laughing._  

_“What?!” she sputtered, and Yugi could only peer around his teacher to leer at Mana, making her blush even more._  

_“Don’t you say a word!!” She hollered at him, waving her staff around but unable to reach Yugi around their teacher._  

_“Children, enough, enough. Thank you for the compliment, Mana.” Mahad eventually managed to reign in his chuckles, and Mana frowned down at her knees with puffed, red cheeks._  

_Mahad placed his palms on the floor and bowed once more to the sun god, and both students scrambled to mimic him before they all stood and began leaving the temple, careful to walk backwards to avoid showing the god their backs._  

_As the guards opened and closed the doors behind them, Yugi began bouncing down the hall ahead of them, the God Pendant bopping off his chest with the movement._

_“That was really nice! We should do that more often!” He said._  

_“Maybe, if you two make sure to do a better job of remembering your prayers and hymns.” Mahad scolded lightly, and Mana just groaned beside him._  

_“I’ll do my best!” Yugi said, hands on his hips proudly as he promised._  
  


* * *

 

 

The scene faded away, the sensation of falling gently flooding through him, until he felt his feet touch down on stone beneath him once more. 

His senses filtered back to him slowly, as if his body was being filled with his self once more, and blearily he blinked his eyes open. 

The first thing he became aware of was that he didn’t recognize the wall he was staring at. No, not a wall… a door. A stone door, barely illuminated by the Zippo’s light. 

Next thing he became aware of was the slow but insistent pain crawling up his left leg. As he grunted in shock and clutched at his staff, something clattered to the floor. 

Yugi blinked, his heart suddenly racing as he looked around himself, his Zippo gripped white-knuckled in his fist. 

Where the fuck was he?! 

The only thing he could see was the closed door in front of him, his lighter not strong enough to even reach the floor below him. He was somewhere lost in the darkness - with no clue as to how he got there. 

And also, absolutely no sign of the creature, either. 

Yugi swore colorfully. 

“I’m really getting tired of this goddamn magical shit.” He muttered under his breath, one hand gripping his staff tight while he stuck his hand out, fruitlessly trying to shed some light on anything else, but it was just him, and the door inlaid into the wall. 

When he leaned heavily on his good leg, he realized it was just him, the door - and that damn pendant. 

That must have been what he dropped earlier, he realized as he glared down at the pendant, its golden eye leering back up at him from the floor, almost mocking. 

Yugi was tempted to try and kick it. 

Instead, with an aggravated sigh, he carefully knelt down and awkwardly picked it up, tucking it under his arm. 

“I really need to put you on a string, if you’re gonna stick around like this.” He muttered to it - oh great, he was talking to inanimate objects now. Perfect. 

“Now what am I gonna do.” He said out loud, half to himself, half to… he wasn’t sure what. He just felt the need to vocalize his thoughts in the absolute silence that surrounded him. 

Truthfully he preferred that to any of that skittering or whispering he was half used to now. 

Turning to the door, he started inspecting it - not like he had anything else he could do. Yugi figured that if he even tried to find his way back to the safe room on his own, he’d just get even more lost - or fall in a hole. 

And die. 

The creature was probably already looking for him by now, anyways. Sniffing him out, maybe. 

At least, that’s what he hoped, as he brought the lighter close to the stone door. 

He squinted in the flickering light as he tried to read the hieroglyphs carved into the door, but every time he managed to focus on one, it seemed to waver in his view, the shifting light playing tricks on his eyes. 

At least, that’s what he sorely hoped was happening when the hieroglyphs started swimming across the stone, oozing and morphing and mixing around the centre of the door until there was only one symbol left. 

It looked like a ring, five sharp points splaying out from the bottom like a hand, with a triangle in the center, and an eye staring judgmentally back at him. 

Yugi couldn’t help but let out a frightened, hysterical giggle. 

He felt a tug, an inexplicable urge to - to _do_ something, something that wasn’t his own thoughts, and he stumbled back a few steps. 

“This  - this is crazy.” He sputtered out, trying to keep his breathing even. No good hyperventilating in the middle of nothingness, with only a lighter and a broken leg. 

He felt another tug, and whipped his head down - the pendant! 

Staff stuffed in his armpit, Yugi snatched the pendant up in his hand and glared at it, enraged. 

“You! This is your fault! You - what are you doing to me?” He yelled at it, the cool gold staring back at him emotionlessly. 

Yugi’s grip on the pendant was tight, white-knuckled, and he swung his arm over his head with the terrified and furious intent to slam the artifact on the ground. 

But at the height of the arc, he paused, arm quivering, before he let out an explosive breath and lowered his arm. 

“Why?” he asked quietly, gazing down at the pendant, but it gave no answer. 

Yugi closed his eyes, counting his breaths as he willed his heart to calm down. 

He was frightened. He was borderline helpless. He was lost. 

No use making the situation worse. 

He felt another tug inside him, that absolutely strange sensation of something else guiding him forward, and he opened his eyes slowly. 

And touched the very tip of the pyramid pendant to the door. 

With a shuddering groan, the door vibrated and pulled upwards into the wall, sand and gravel raining down as it disappeared into the stone, leaving a pitch-black entry in front of him. 

Yugi choked down a few steadying breaths, looking around the darkness on his side of the door. Still no sign of the creature. He was beginning to worry that there might not be again. 

Curiosity was starting to itch at him, now that he had gotten his fear more or less reigned in. So, Yugi tottered through the door. 

On the other side, he paused, holding his breath - but when he counted to ten without the door slamming shut behind him, he released it in a huff. There was that, at least.

 Something reflective caught his eye, and he raised his light above his head to see something… metal, black and covered in something sticky and reflective. 

Yugi raised an eyebrow, before gingerly touching the flame of his lighter to the metal. 

With a sharp hiss, the fluid lit, and a bright flare shot up the metal. 

Yugi winced and covered his eyes when something above him suddenly caught ablaze, and a path of fire roared its way through the room, a twin flame bursting on his other side and racing its way parallel to the other. 

Suddenly, Yugi could see. And his eyes widened at what he saw. 

On either side of the doorway was an immense statue of Sekhmet, both goddesses holding a bowl of fire that Yugi had lit. The bowl poured flames down either side of a narrow path that Yugi stood on, racing down the length of the room, around an immense square platform in the middle of the echoing chamber. The floor dropped off into black nothingness on either side of the paths of fire. 

At the end of the room, lit by the flames, was a raised pedestal, with something glittering upon it. 

Yugi swayed, a bubble of disbelieving laughter coming up his throat and echoing through the room. 

“Oh my god, this is like something out of a movie.” He said to himself, leaning against one of the legs of the goddess statues. 

There was another faint tug, and he looked down at the pendant in his hand. 

“You’re trying to get me killed, aren’t you?” Yugi said breathlessly, shaking his head. 

He placed the pendant on a foot of the statue, setting himself upright again. 

“You stay there.” He said to it jokingly, before turning and hobbling his way to the edge of the platform. 

Laid out before him was an immense grid of large squares, each larger than Yugi was round with a symbol painted onto each tile. There didn’t seem to be much pattern to the symbols, and though a few of whem were symbols he recognized - or obvious shapes of animals - for the most part they were confusing. 

Yugi stood there, mouth screwed to the side. 

A thought struck him, and he carefully balanced on his good leg as he raised his staff and tapped it a few times against the tile directly in front of him. 

Nothing happened. It didn’t even sound hollow. 

He did the same with the tile to his right, and once more, nothing happened. Huh. Maybe he was just being paranoid. 

On the tile to his left, he put a little more weight into the staff as he prodded it. 

With a sharp, ominous crack, the tile split and dropped into blackness. Yugi lurched under the sudden loss of ground before he pulled his staff back. 

“Okay then, that’s a thing!” He said, jittery and shocked. 

Heart pounding, Yugi stood there staring down at the black hole where the tile had once been - he never heard the pieces of the tile hit the bottom. 

With shivering hands, Yugi started pacing - well, he would have, if his leg allowed him to. As it was, he started swaying from side to side nervously, his body very much wishing he could pace as he thought. 

“Okay, so, stereotypical puzzle over a gaping pit, possibly with or without sharp spikes at the bottom. Knowing my luck, with. Seemingly priceless treasure at the end - of course, it’s going to be cursed. Everything is in this damned place.” He started listing off, jittery like he hadn’t ever been. 

If he was honest with himself, as much as he was terrified, he was also intrigued. A puzzle, buried deep within a tomb that housed at least one potentially magical creature, possibly more? Counting those hissing, screaming things. Whatever they were, he still hadn’t gotten a solid answer out of the creature. And on top of it, at the end of the puzzle there was what was most obviously a treasure of some form, cursed or not? 

It truly felt like he had stepped into one of those novels he had read as a kid. His grandpa had always warned him that real archaeology wasn’t like those fantasy books Yugi had devoured.

Looks like his grandpa was wrong about that part. 

An invigorating chill went through Yugi - not one of fear or dread. He hadn’t felt this sensation in years, not since he had given up duelling in pursuit of his career. 

It was the thrill of challenge. A challenge of such scale as he’d never faced before - one of potential life or death. 

But as the blood surged through Yugi’s veins, he found he was willing to take that chance. He was excited from the tips of his hair to his toes - and the sensation was _intoxicating_. 

Squeezing his eyes shut, Yugi steadied himself, halting his swaying and taking calming breaths. 

Then he opened his eyes. 

“Okay. Game time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you endlessly for your patience, I apologize that this chapter took so long! Hope you enjoyed it - and also immense shoutout to Shiirojasmine on Tumblr, who's my beloved editor and proofreader, and through her encouragement and feedback helped make this chapter possible.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for your patience! I'm very sorry this chapter took so long, but I do hope you enjoy it. I'll try to not let this story go so long without updating again like this;;

Yugi took a hop step, winced, froze - and then relaxed when he didn’t fall screaming into a crumbling abyss. 

The puzzle was exceedingly simple, really. There was a pattern of sorts hidden in the seemingly random tiles. It wasn’t repeating, nor clear unless you had the right hints… 

Beneath Yugi’s feet was a painted image of a man and woman side by side, staring into each other’s eyes. 

“ _Men and women proceeded from his two eyes._ ” Yugi huffed out, heart fluttering lightly in his chest. 

It still irked him that of all things, the clue to the puzzle’s pattern was in some sort of… faded, fabricated memory that the Pendant seemed to keep giving him. He had been dubious at first, and it took a long time for him to even convince himself to consider it, but when his other ideas had all run into dead ends, he figured it was worth a shot. 

Now, he was three tiles deep into the puzzle. 

“ _He is the creator of the pasturage, wherein herds and flocks live, and the staff of life for mankind_ …” Yugi murmured, looking around at the next row of tiles. This row had no hieroglyphs at all, only painted images. 

Yugi once again balanced on his good leg - his foot was already starting to get sore and tired - and tapped the tile with an image of a bird in flight. Nothing happened, but Yugi’s instincts were ringing. 

“So…  what part of this verse is the key…” he said, bringing the staff back to balance himself. The last verse had been challenging to work out, but he banked on the fact that the key needed to be close by the previous correct tile, to allow easy passage across. After that it was a simple process of elimination. 

This time however, there were multiple possible correct tiles within reach. 

Yugi hummed, eyes scanning. From his position, there were three tiles he could easily reach. A bird, a cow, and a shepherd’s crook. 

Now, it would be easy for him to merely use his staff as a way to get rid of other tiles, pressing down till they gave, but while that had worked in the start, he noted that the tiles were getting progressively thicker the further in, and he was unable to merely lean on them to make them give way. 

Caught up in his thoughts, Yugi slowly became aware of a sound… a voice? Vaguely echoing through the doorway. 

He stilled, listening and wary, the sound becoming more clear, and more urgent the longer he waited. 

He realized who it was that was calling his name. 

“I’m in here!” he hollered out carelessly, attention quickly diverting back to the challenge at hand. There was silence once more, before a scratching, scattering sound became louder. And louder. 

A muffled thud suddenly vibrated through the still air, and Yugi winced as a few showers of dirt and dust fell from the wall that had just been ran headlong into. 

“Yugi? Yugi!!” the creature’s voice was very loud and clear now, heavy breathing scraping out from under the mask as the creature scrambled to the doorway. This doorway was quite small, so the creature could only stick its head and neck through the stone frame, grunting when its shoulders caught. “Yugi!!” 

Its voice was haggard and terribly frightened. “I’m okay, calm down.” Yugi said almost idly, gaze flickering back to the stone tiles at his feet. 

The creature focused in on him, and let out a noise that sounded amusingly like a choked whinny. “ _Nghk_ \- okay?! What part of this is okay?! What in the gods names are you doing!?” 

Yugi thought, made a calculated guess, and jabbed hard at the next adjacent glyphed tile. 

The tile shattered and fell, rubble clattering and echoing into pitch black. Yugi hummed in thought as the creature whined behind him.

 “Stop that! You - you get back here right this instant! This isn’t any place to be just wandering around - I said _stop!!_ ” The creature's voice rose in pitch, going from high and worried to deep, angry commanding when Yugi ignored it and poked at another tile idly as he pondered. 

Yugi side-eyed the creature, rolling his eyes a little as it huffed and puffed, neck straining as it kept trying to squeeze itself in the doorway to no avail. He hated his concentration being broken, and the creature was doing a magnificent job of just that. 

The closer Yugi got to the dias on the other size of the puzzle, the more excited he got. The thrill of the chase, the tang of danger igniting his nerve endings made it exceedingly easy to block out any concern or guilt over the creature’s behalf. He knew he could do it, he just needed _time._  

Some scraping cut through his focus, and Yugi looked up to see the creature had retreated its neck and instead had one long arm stuck through the doorway like a cat, long claws digging gouges in the stone pathway and door frame. It was all in vain however - Yugi was far away in the midst of the puzzle and at the end of a long walkway. 

“Oh, stop that! You’re not an animal, stop acting like one!” Yugi scolded, offended at the blatant disrespect to the surroundings, scratches being dug into one of the goddess statues. The creature pulled back its arm, the mask glinting lightly from the light of the flames through the darkness. 

“If you’re not going to be reasonable, I certainly am not either!” The creature rumbled, claws and fingers digging once more but unable to do more than scrape the surface of the stone. Seemed this room was as enchanted as the rest of the damn place was… Yugi scoffed. Stupid thoughts like that were becoming more frequent the longer he stayed down here. 

_Magic has no place in games_ , Yugi turned back to the puzzle, mind turning over and over the tail ends of the hymn that still echoed in his head. 

“Nrgh - Yugi! Just, be - be mature! You can’t do this, it’s too big of a risk! Please, stop!” The creature had dissolved to pleading and begging now, head thrust helplessly back into the doorway while Yugi had his back turned. 

“Yugi! Please! Don’t - just, come back, and we can talk this over! I - I cannot let you do this!” 

“Yugi!” 

**_“Yugi!!”_**        

“ _Will you shut up?!_ ” Yugi finally yelled out, voice echoing against the stone. 

The creature paused abruptly, startled. 

“I’m not an invalid, I’m not a toy, and I’m not a child! I can do what I want, and what I want, is to figure out this godforsaken puzzle! I’ve _dreamed_ of finding something like this all my life, and now I finally have! I don’t care at this point if it’s dangerous - and I’m not going to let myself get killed over something like this!” He snarled, stomping his staff in punctuation.

 “I can figure this damned thing out if you would stop being such a whiny pissbaby just because I’m not listening to you.” He said, pointing at the creature accusingly. “You don’t control me! You’re big, and hairy, and scare the living shit out of me sometimes, but you can’t stop me. I’m gonna do this! On my own!” 

Yugi’s chest was heaving, face red as he stared down the shocked creature. 

Yugi’s rant had become a bit personal before he could stop himself, but he didn’t dwell on it. Using the creature’s stunned silence, he turned back to the tiles. His thoughts were a little scattered due to his anger, so he took deep breaths as he willed himself to calm. Clouded thoughts were the last thing he needed right then. 

“ _The staff of life..._ ” he muttered to himself, eyes glancing about the other glyphed tiles. 

He was deep enough into the tiles that the pattern was becoming more apparent, but it was still a gamble on which way it’d go. The first tiles were easy - aside from being able to find the sturdy ones merely from poking the stone, there were more blank tiles than not. 

But looking further into the puzzle as hieroglyphs turned into painted symbols, there were a lot more painted tiles than not, rendering that method useless. 

He eyed the two closest tiles. One was an oxen, and the other was a pair of birds, taking off from the water in flight. 

Yugi closed his eyes, took a deep breath - and stepped onto the tile with the birds. 

The creature behind him let out an anguished cry at his movement, but aside from that, nothing happened. Yugi looked down at his feet, boots shuffling on the stone. 

Little bubbles of excitement rose in his chest. He couldn’t help but let out a little self-satisfied giggle, shifting a bit to get out the energy that came with the thrill. He sent a look over his shoulder at the creature - it had slumped defeated onto the stone, head tilted to the side as it faced his direction forlornly. He resisted the sudden urge to stick his tongue out at it - from here the taunt would probably be hard to see anyways. 

Confident and bolstered, Yugi looked down to the newest set of tiles - 

And pulled a blank. 

“What… what the heck is the rest of the hymn?!” He hissed to himself, eyes flitting over the now-meaningless symbols on the tiles. 

He wracked his brain, rolling over and over the initial lines he could easily recall, but his thoughts screeched to a halt midway through the prayer. 

“Fuck. Fuck!” he swore, emphasizing his irritation with a pitch of his head. A hand raised to his head, scratching at it roughly. 

_“He is the Form One, the creator of everything that is._

_The One only, the Creator of things that shall be._  

_Men and women proceeded from his two eyes. His utterance became the gods._  

_He is the creator of the pasturage wherein herds and flocks live, and the staff of life for mankind…”_  

Yugi’s voice faded out with the last words, fingers worrying at his lip as he searched his mind for the next lines. Something about geese, maybe? 

_“... He maketh to live the fish in the river, and the geese and the feathered fowl of the sky.”_  

Yugi flinched, slowly looking over his shoulder as the deep voice echoed through the chamber softly. 

At the doorway the creature remained, but it had lifted its head slightly, drooping earrings barely scraping the stone. 

“...What did you say?” Yugi hushed, stunned. 

The creature shifted its head, looking away from him. 

“I… it sounds familiar. The hymn you recited. I did not recognize it at first but… I believe I might know the rest of it.” 

Yugi stared wide-eyed at the creature, mouth open slightly. “How - _how_ do you know it?” 

The creature’s head tilted downwards, its ears drooping lightly. “I do not know. It is just… faintly familiar. Like I’ve heard it once before, but forgotten till this moment.” 

The two were quiet, stunned silence fading to awkward the longer it remained. Eventually, Yugi cleared his throat. 

“Well… are you going to tell me the rest of it?” Yugi asked. 

“No.” was the reply. 

Yugi sputtered. “No?!” 

“No.” the creature had raised its head a bit more, voice steady with conviction. “I refuse to aid you in such a dangerous and pointless venture. I will not be the catalyst to your death if I can so avoid it.” 

Yugi let out a long, heartfelt and utterly frustrated groan. 

“Come. ON. I can do this! I’ve made it this far, why should I stop halfway?! It’s not a difficult puzzle, it’s just a little tricky. And look!” He said, thrusting a hand out in the direction of the raised pedestal with something vaguely circular and glimmering at the far end of the room. 

“I think it’s something like that stupid Pendant I found in the safe room. It could give us more clues as to what this place is, or what you are! And it’s right. _Stinking._ There!” He said, punctuating his words with shakes of his outstretched hand.

The creature gazed at him a few moments. 

“Does it bother you so much? Not knowing things? Are you so afraid of the unknown that you risk your life for answers?” It asked. 

Yugi would have stomped his feet if he could have. “What’s wrong with answers or knowledge?! It’s how we - people, whatever - progress forward! And I’m sick and tired of not knowing what the fuck is going on down here, so maybe yes! I am afraid! 

“I’m afraid of that stupid Pendant that keeps giving me hallucinations. I’m afraid of whatever the fuck is living out in the darkness that wants to eat me that you _refuse_ to tell me what it is. I’m afraid I’m going to be stuck down here forever, or die of infection or - or malnutrition, a puny little weakling at the mercy of a giant fucking hairy monster with a god complex! 

“I’m afraid, but that’s not gonna stop me from trying to get some answers one way or another! And if you aren’t going to help me, then _fuck you_!” 

Yugi’s head pounded, two rants in a short timespan sapping his already meager energy. This time the creature had gone past shocked right into offended, its head recoiled back at the venom from Yugi’s words, its gilded ears drooped. 

Letting out one more sour huff, Yugi turned his back to the creature and stared at the painted tiles. At the least the creature had given him one more line of the prayer, and from that he might be able to decipher the rest of the puzzle. Hopefully. 

“Fish and geese…” he muttered, brows pulled down into a frown. The nearest tiles to him were a fish, an ibis in flight, and a goose. Three possible tiles. Three possible drops into the abyss. 

Yugi raised a hand and rubbed his throbbing forehead. The mild pain only added to his irritation, making it very hard to think. All because of that stupid creature. 

“I can’t… I can’t think.” He sighed, slowing his movements to try and set a calming rhythm. Grandpa had tried to teach him to center himself long ago, but it was still difficult at times when he got too worked up.

“Hey!” Yugi threw out over his shoulder at the creature bitterly. “A fish, a ibis, and a goose. What do you think it might be? Not like you’ll actually help me.” His mouth turning up at the corner in a snarl as he grumbled out the rest of the sentence. 

There was silence, the ticking moments giving Yugi time to cool off once more as he stood there with his eyes squeezed shut. 

“The goose.” 

“Wha?” Yugi hadn’t been listening, not expecting an actual answer. 

“The goose. I believe it’d be the goose.” was the reply. The creature’s voice was low, and hesitant. 

Yugi turned around slowly to stare at the creature. 

“...why would you pick the goose?” He asked. 

The creature shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. “... The goose has common elements to the tile you are standing on, along with the previous verse. It is a water fowl, and the tile you stand upon has birds upon water, does it not? And the tile and verse before that - the previous tile had two figures, same as the tile you stand upon. So the correct tiles must have a theme in common with the previous set.” 

Yugi was stunned at the sudden waterfall of words. That was the line of thinking he had been following along so far… wait. “How can you see the tiles from there?! I’m miles away!” 

The creature moved slightly, most likely an attempted shrug. “I see many things.” 

There was a pause for a moment, before Yugi burst out into laughter. Frustrated laughter, but laughter nonetheless that helped ease his tension slightly. 

“You see many things. Of course you do. Of course.” He chuckled, drawing out a long groan before he bounced his shoulders defeatedly. “Why are you helping me all of a sudden? Enlighten me, please.” 

The creature turned its head away, its tone dry. 

“You are too stubborn to listen to reason. And while I loathe being an assistant in your borderline attempt at suicide, it would be wiser to instead help you, so you may finish this fool’s errand all the quicker and return to safety.” The creature shifted a little, possibly an aborted attempt at shrugging its massive shoulders. “Obviously you have deluded yourself into thinking you need to prove yourself in some fashion to regain your confidence. I should not hold you back from such a quest.” 

Yugi’s mouth dropped open. 

“Well, fuck you too, buddy.” He spat out, taking one large (as large as he could) step onto the goose-decorated tile. 

Both creature and human held their breath silently, but the tile held strong. 

“Well. You didn’t kill me. So that’s a bonus point for you!” Yugi cheered, and he could practically hear the creature eye-roll from the doorway. 

“Believe me, if I had wanted to lay waste to you, I would have done so long ago and many times over.” The creature gnashed, the snap of teeth audible. 

“Oh, I’m very, _very_ well aware of that fact, thank you for underlining it for me in bold.” Yugi bowed as deeply as he could in the creatures direction, hearing it growl lowly.

He turned to the newest row of tiles, frowning over them. 

“What was the next verse, or have you forgotten it with your tiny brain?” Yugi called daintly, and was rewarded with another snarl. 

“ _He giveth air to the creature that is in the egg. He nourisheth the geese in their pens._ You puny excuse for a mortal.” Was the reply. The lyrics from the hymn rolled differently off of the creatures tongue when it spoke them, as if the words weren’t just words it spoke. 

“Huh, never thought there’d be an insult in the middle of a hymn to the gods, but what could a puny mortal with a master’s degree with honors in Egyptology possibly know?” Yugi couldn’t help but sass back, knowing that the creature wouldn’t fully understand the translation - but it still felt good to say. 

He ignored the creatures aggravated grumbling in the distance, and studied the tiles. This time, the nearest tiles were a crocodile, an egg in a nest… 

“And another goose.” Yugi muttered to himself, staring at the tile directly before him where the bird sat, a mimic of the one he currently stood upon. 

“This isn’t an error. But it’s… it’d be too simple if it was simply the same tile over again. It can’t be the answer.” He chewed on his lip, eyes flicking between the three painted tiles. 

“...It could possibly be the crocodile. It is a creature that is birthed from an egg, but it is not the goose.” The creature piped up, voice still a little flat. 

Yugi shook his head. “No… it’s - it’s not that. It - it doesn’t feel quite right.” 

Hoping for clues, Yugi’s eyes flickered over the next set of tiles, and then to the next - before his eyes landed on the safe platform almost within spitting distance. 

He was so close, he could practically taste it! But moving hastily would have dire consequences, so he forcibly reigned in his excitement. 

“Gimmie the rest of the lyrics, maybe that’ll give me a clue to the pattern.” Yugi said, beckoning with his hand in empty air behind him, and the creature huffed. 

“ _He maketh to live the water-fowl, and the reptiles and every insect that flieth._  

_“He provideth for food for the mice in their holes, he nourisheth the flying creatures on every bough_.” The creature recited, and Yugi bit back a groan. 

Great, pretty much every verse after that had a reference to some kind of bird. But that couldn’t be the clue - it’d be too simple! 

“Mmgh. Okay. So. The hieroglyph for God, the hieroglyph for the number one, the man and woman, the pair of birds, the goose... “ he rolled over the path he had followed so far, counting off fingers as tiles before pausing. 

“The first one was easy, start with the god. The second was the thing both lyrics had in common, the number one. But then… god wasn’t the answer in the third tile, it was the man and women. Then the tile with the birds had the two-character symbol in common with the man and woman, and after that I couldn’t trial and error using the weaker tiles…” Yugi’s muttering was steady, vocalizing his thoughts without even realizing he was doing it. 

“It seems the pattern is something in relation to the previous tile?” The creature hummed, and Yugi nodded mildly. 

“Mmh, that’s what I’ve been going off of, but this time there’s three things in relation, along with the next verse that has even more possible tiles.” He said, fingers tapping at his cheekbone. 

“The goose would be too obvious, however. Or more likely, a trap for the simple minded. Also, the next verse also contains a - wait.” The creature paused. “...What are you doing.” 

Yugi was balancing dangerously on one foot as he used his staff to repeatedly and frustratedly jab at the closest tile, the sound of wood bouncing off stone echoing through the room. 

“Nrhgghg stupid goddamn tiles stupid goddamn _puzzle_ stupid goddamn TOMB.” Yugi cursed, gaining volume until he finally tired himself out, leaning heavily on the stick. 

The creature observed his tantrum, mildly amused. “Quite done?” 

“Piss off. And yes.” Yugi shot back, sighing and rubbing his temple against his staff. 

He sighed again, deeper and more pointedly. “If this kills me, I’m coming back to haunt you.” 

The creature pulled its head back slightly. “If you die, I shall make it my personal life quest to somehow retrieve your body and give you the proper burial you deserve so your soul shall pass on to the Afterlife.” 

It said is so bluntly, so utterly serious and determined, that Yugi could only blink at him. He had only been joking. 

Mostly. 

“...Right. Thanks.” Was all he could say, before taking a chance, and stepping onto the Egg tile before the creature could react. 

“ **Yugi** \- !” 

But Yugi was fine, standing there on the tile bemused. “Well, I guess I guessed right again.” 

The creature let out a long, deep groan that made Yugi cackle. 

“I think it is more likely that I am to be the one that dies, due to an overstressed heart thanks to one small mortal.” Said the creature, flopped out onto the stone once more. 

“I’ll be sure to give you a proper burial as well, then.” Yugi said, and this time stuck his tongue out at the creature when it gave him an offended huff. 

“Alright. Just two more rows to go. We can do this.” Yugi told himself, pausing momentarily at the ‘we’ he had used, but shaking his head. 

The next three tiles in reach were another bird in water, a lizard, and an insect. 

“Got more egg creatures.” Yugi called out, and he heard the creature shift, straining a little to see around him. 

“...Hm. It is a bit tricky.” The creature hummed. “Perhaps… no, but - “ 

“The lizard?” Yugi guessed. The creature paused mid-sentence, before nodding as its earrings jangled. 

“It is a reptile such as the crocodilian, and while there have been birds in succession in the last handful of rows, it is a reasonable estimate.” 

Yugi scoffed slightly. “It wouldn’t kill you to use less words, you know.” 

“Pardon?” The creature sounded only lightly offended. 

Yugi waved it off. “Nothing, nothing. Just - do you think that’s the right one?” 

“If you are unsure, perhaps you should retract your steps and return to safety?” The creature asked innocently, tone all too hopeful. 

Yugi rolled his head. “Har har. Nice try.” 

He went to step forward - and hesitated. 

But he gave himself a shake, and with a deep inhale, stepped onto the lizard tile. 

It held. 

“Yes!” Yugi would have hopped, but the best he could manage was bouncing a little, grin wide as he turned to look at the creature. 

“Oh yes, well done. One more step over the abyss. Stupendous.” The creature toned, voice flat as it rested its chin upon one of the lion goddess’ feet. 

But Yugi could still tell that the creature’s fur was fluffed up three times more than normal out of reigned in fear. 

“Oh, chill. We’ve - I’ve got this. One more tile. If my stupid leg wasn’t broken I could probably hop right over this entire line and just go for it.” Yugi said, psyching himself up as he looked over the last row of tiles. 

He pointedly ignored the loud scoff from the peanut gallery. 

The last set of tiles were a pair of mouse, birds in flight, and a branch. 

“Bird?” Yugi called out, and he heard the creature’s jewelry shift. 

“I agree. Seems to be the most accurate out of all of them -” 

“- And it has something in common with all the last tiles I’ve used.” Yugi finished, heartbeat picking up in excitement. He had the passing thought that it was too simple, far too simple, the last row was much more perplexing than that - 

But he stepped forward anyways, eagerness pushing away any doubt. 

Small pebbles scuffed under his foot, but the tile held. 

Yugi’s chest thrummed proudly, and he couldn’t help but move to turn towards the creature. “See? I’m fine! Looks like we actually do make a good - “ 

There was a sudden sharp **_-crack-_**  

**_“ - NO!”_**  

Yugi had a split second of utter nothingness beneath his feet, before he flung his arms out instinctively and just managed to catch the lip of the platform under his arms, his body slamming against stone.

He wheezed, hands scrambling to grip the smooth tiles as it felt like he was trying to breathe through a straw, the impact knocking all air from his chest. 

He was vaguely aware of a wall-shuddering roar behind him, his ears muffled by fright. He eventually managed to get a grip in an indent with his fingertips, and with pained grunts and quivering arms he hauled himself up to his hips to lean himself over the edge, good leg scraping at the stone while his injured one was dead weight. 

Yugi looked over his shoulder, peering through sweaty strands of hair, to see the creature back to digging at the doorway with its outstretched arm. But it was much more frantic this time, panicked even. 

Taking a moment to catch his breath, now that the majority of his weight was on the platform, Yugi eventually pulled himself fully onto the stone platform, dragging inch by terrible inch until he was safe. 

With a deep groan, he rolled onto his back, staring up at the shadows that painted the ceiling. 

“I’m - I’m okay!” It took him a few tries, but Yugi was eventually able to call out, and the roaring and scraping slowed down before stopping. 

More shuffling and grunting, and Yugi tugged his head up enough to see the creature had put its head back through the doorway, shuffling this way and that as it tried to get a good look at him. 

“Yugi!! Yugi - are - are you okay?!” Its voice was much higher pitched than usual, a subtle quiver to it. 

“Yeah, I’m alive.” he said, dropping his head back to the stone and raising a hand to wave tiredly. The creature’s response was nothing but the sharp sound of metal against stone, as if it had slumped down as well. 

The two were silent, taking time to breathe. Yugi counted his heartbeats till they lulled to a more reasonable pattern, before he pushed himself upright with a grunt. 

The creature looked tiny from so far away, but he could still make out it’s dramatic splay onto the stone, its blonde bangs askew - along with its golden mask. 

But from where he was Yugi couldn’t focus on anything past blobs of color, the sputtering flames making the shadows dance and blurring edges. 

“...I swear by all the gods. You shall be the death of me. I foresee this fate.” The creature grumbled, slightly slurred by whatever it had for a face being pressed against the tiles.

 Yugi couldn’t help but laugh a little hysterically. 

“Well, can’t have that happening before I get out of this place, so hold onto your pacemaker, old man.” He said, laughing more at the creature’s befuddled excuse of a response. 

He rolled back onto his belly, pushing upright and managing to get his good leg under him. Thankfully, his staff hadn’t gone far, clattering a few feet away when he had flung himself onto the platform. With its help he was back in standing order, his excitement began to build again the closer he got to his prize. 

The artifact was a golden ring with five sharp cones splaying off the bottom in a ray, an inverted pyramid with a raised eye filling the center. It was set into the stone, the pedestal made of one large block. It seemed to be almost lit by a spotlight with how it glimmered, but there was no such thing above it. 

The similarity to the swirling symbol that appeared on the door before this whole fiasco made Yugi stutter, but he stepped up before it nonetheless. 

“It looks kind of like that Pendant…” He murmured, gold light glinting off the ring’s eye almost blinding him, as he reached his hand forward. 

His fingers touched cold metal. 

 

 

* * *

 

  

_It was cool, and damp, but the musk of the sealed tomb made the air less pleasant._  

_Not to mention the company he shared._  

_The Thief, decked out in red and with that signature stance and sneer on his face, stood in front of him even as the grinding sound of stone against stone faded, his soldiers heaving the enormous door closed in the distance._  

_“Such drastic measures for little old me! You should be more worried that your own men blocked your only_ ** _exit_** _, instead of trying to keep me_ ** _in_** _, Priest.” The title was spat out like an insult, the Thief’s scar stark white against his skin._  

_Yugi - no, Maahad, that was his name, Grand Magician and High Priest of the Pharaoh’s court - stood firm. Hands curled into fists, he stared down the thief even as anger and indignity flooded through him._  

_The damn Thief couldn’t even take a threat to his own life seriously! It was pure mockery of himself and all he stood for, he knew - but he also knew that the Thief was utterly confident in his own power and abilities._  

_That made for a dangerous opponent._  

_“You shall pay for all the crimes and blasphemy you have caused in my Pharaoh’s lands, Bakura.” Maahad’s voice was clear and firm. If the Thief was confident in his beliefs, then the magician was unwavering._  

_“Thief King Bakura, Priest. At the very least you can use my proper title! Show a little respect!” The thief smirked, head tilted to the side._  

_“Your title is nothing but a blaring example of your delusions. You showed no respect to my King, and I shall show you none the same.” Mahad said, hand coming up and staff flaring into existence with a burst of purple light in his palm. He felt the Thief tense, his wide stance shifting ever so slightly._  

_His vision distorted suddenly, and he was looking down at himself - no, the Thief was looking down at Maahad splayed out on the stone, bleeding profusely from his stomach as the Thief ground one slippered foot hard into his collarbone._  

_Yugi felt himself reach down, and in one swift motion yanked the Millennium Ring from around the Priest’s neck, pulling and snapping hair in the process._  

_“Looks like you should have shown me respect after all, Priest.” Yugi felt his face - Bakura’s face stretch in a wild grin, his scar stretching and pulling with the motion._  

_Bakura gave one last stomp to the Priest’s collarbone, delighting in the pained grunt he got, before staggering back. He wasn’t untouched himself, many slashes and burns across his body, but it was harder to tell with the deep scarlet cloak he bore._  

_The thief stared down at the Item in his hands, the gold as cold as stone at night despite the fact it had just been pressed against the Priest’s chest. That aside he could feel the power, the dark energy thrumming through his skin from the contact. He could practically feel the spirits screaming in it, revelling in the defeat of one of the High Court just as he did…_  

_He reverently dangled the Ring from its rope, respect given not to whom he had just injured heavily, and pulled it over his head._  

_Bakura had been expecting a sudden rush of magic, of fire in his veins, but the Ring was disappointingly silent, aside from a light humming that took place in his senses._  

_No matter. The Ring must be drained from the fight, for he knew the Priest had pulled on its power to augment his own._  

_He scoffed, reaching to the back of his neck and pulling his cloud-white hair from under the Ring’s rope. “I advise that you count your heartbeats, Priest, and savor them, for they shall be your last.”_  

_He heard the Priest wheeze out a small chuckle, and suddenly all he could see was light._  

_“There has to be another way!”_  

_“There is no other way right now, Mana. Anything we could try would take too long, or potentially make things worse. You saw what happened to him when our first reaction was to try and cut the ties…”_  

_“But he’s - he’s in pain! It’s killing him slowly, intent on taking him with it, and all we’re doing is standing around!”_  

_“Don’t take that tone with me! You of all people should know how I feel right now! Do you not think that if there was something I could do right this second to alleviate his pain that I’d do so in an instant?”_  

_“... I’m… Teacher, I just - “_  

_“I know, Mana. I know.”_  

 

 

* * *

 

 

 Yugi slowly became aware of things as he filtered back into himself, grains of sand and self filling his limbs. 

The back of his head throbbed. He squinted open his eyes, his view full of half-lit ceiling tiles. Ah, he must have fallen and smacked his head when he touched the Ring. 

He felt cold metal against his palm, the scrape of metal against stone as he pulled his arms closer to push himself up. Ugh, everything was sore, like he had worked himself too hard the previous day and his body hated him for it. 

He looked at the Ring in his hand - it glinted up at him, gold spears clinking through the cotton that stuffed his ears. He shook his head dazed, trying to clear both them and his head a little. 

Yugi pulled his legs closer. Ah, his leg felt numb. Not painful, though. Just… like it had a very big bruise. Maybe it had been healed like his hand had been? 

He wiggled his ankle experimentally. No sudden pain, but the dull ache was becoming stronger. 

“Ah, fuck.” He whispered to himself as he pushed himself upright, leaning heavily on the pedestal the Ring had been set upon. Again, his leg didn’t scream in pain, just throbbed at him. 

“Heh. Hey - hey look, I can walk.” Yugi said slowly, a smile on his face as he looked up and around, trying to focus on the creature. 

The smile slipped from his face as he heard a low, soft sobbing. 

He turned to the doorway far at the other end of the room. The creature was still there, but… something was wrong, it didn’t seem right. The creature’s shape was tilted, darker, and the glint of gold told that its head was flopped onto the stone. 

“Hey - hey! You okay?” Yugi called, concern flooding and sharpening his thoughts, chasing out any remaining fog. 

His worry only grew when the creature didn’t respond, and with clumsy steps Yugi made his way back to the doorway, one hand gripping the Ring in replacement of the staff he had used, which was forgotten leaning against the pedestal. 

The path back was a little easier, remembering which tiles were safe - though he saw with a frown that the ‘correct’ tile of the final row was the branch, how did that even work? - and not having to balance practically on one leg. The closer he got to the door, the louder the creatures sobbing got, and Yugi hop-skipped over the last tiles almost carelessly before dashing forwards on sturdy ground. 

A lump lodged in his throat when he finally came up to the creature. 

It was askew, one large shoulder having been forced into the doorway along with its long neck. The stone doorway was smeared in blood, fur scraped away in telling spots and damp in others. The creature's neck was draped distraught against the stone, head tilted and mask askew as heartwrenching sobs broke the silence, its body bouncing with each hiccuped sound. 

Yugi knelt down carefully by the creature's head, a hand hovering over the exposed, smooth jawline before pulling back. 

“H-hey, what happened? Are you okay?” he said softly, and the creatures sobs faded suddenly when it twitched. 

Jewelry scraped stone as it turned its great head, lifting slightly to stare at Yugi.

“You… you’re alive…” it spoke in a broken voice, disbelief clear. 

“Yeah… why wouldn’t I be?” Yugi said, tempted to reach out, but before he could do that the creature suddenly thrust its head into Yugi’s chest, and Yugi stared wide-eyed and shocked back at his own golden reflection as the cold mask was shoved up against him. 

“You - don’t - “ the creature was choked up, neck shivering. “You’re alive… thank the gods, you’re alive…” 

Its voice was so soft, so relieved… Yugi was tempted to touch the creature, pet it and soothe it, but he really didn’t know if he was allowed to, if the touch would be welcomed. 

So he merely sat there subdued, knees digging into the stone as the creature quivered against his body, heaving shaking breaths.


	10. Chapter 10

 

Yugi was still, counting both his breaths and the creature’s. He tried to keep them in pace, but the creature’s much larger chest and by extension - lungs - made one breath for his every two, so he gave up after a while.

He felt awkward, cradled as he was in the crook of the creature’s elbow, but he felt even more awkward thinking about asking to get up. He wasn’t even sure he was allowed to ask, the way the creature was acting.

Once the creature had stopped sobbing, big hot tears sliding down from under its mask to soak into Yugi’s trousers, it had gently scooped him up in its hand without another word and carried him back to the safe room. He could hear quiet sniffles the entire trip home, but Yugi found his tongue glued to the roof of his mouth.

When they made it back, the creature had settled into the doorway and tucked Yugi into its arms. Almost absently, but with a note of possessiveness that made Yugi twitchy. It was warm in its soft fuzzy arms however, and a little hungry for contact Yugi allowed it. He could even count the enormous amount of beads that made up its collar, but he got bored of that quickly when they started blending together in the low light.

Yugi kept counting their breaths, until the initial comfort he had drawn from the contact became smothering.

“I want to get up.” Yugi said quietly, tipping his head to look up the creature’s neck. From this angle he could see where the furred neck gave way to skin on the underside of the creature’s jaw. A long, long jaw and sharp cheekbones, but everything else was drowned in the shadows cast by the golden mask.

The creature didn’t say anything, but the arms shifted ever so slightly, and Yugi took that as permission - though he hated to think about it that way - and carefully crawled out of its arms.

He stood up, dusting himself off, the passing thought of getting covered in cat hair fading as quickly as it had come. He turned around to the creature, chewing on his cheek as he took in its imposing presence.

“...You okay?” He offered, a small extension of peace, but the creature didn’t reply, merely twitched its head to the side a little. Gently clinking jewelry was the only sound.

Yugi sighed, ruffling his hair. The Ring hung from his neck, the cord it dangled from frayed and aged but still wearable. He also held the Pendant in his one hand, the sharp edges pressing into his palm.

He took off the Ring, the pointed charms on it jangling ominously somehow. Yugi didn’t plan on keeping that one around him very often at all - the vision he had gotten from it still vivid in his mind.

Yugi shuddered, remembering the flashes of pain he had gotten while experiencing someone else’s eyes. He placed it and the Pendant on a nearby table, looking at the cord thoughtfully. He untied the knot that bound the cord to the Ring, and threaded it through the Pendant’s loop.

Admiring his handiwork as he made sure the cord was knotted tight once more, he placed it around his neck so that the Pendant hung true, dangling somewhere around his belly button.

“Well, now I can at least have my hands free again, right?” he chuckled to himself, still not too happy with whatever connection was determined to keep the Pendant near him. But he felt a warm pulse at his belly, in a way his overactive imagination translated as ‘pleased’ coming from the Pendant.

He heard a rough grunt, and looked over to see the creature bristled slightly, ears flat back.

“I don’t like this.” The creature muttered, voice low in warning.

Yugi took an automatic step back as all at once the creature came to life, raising itself on its palms as far as it could before its spine hit the arch of the doorframe, keeping it pinned.

The light of the oil lamps framed its body well for once, their placement convenient. With its arms braced in such a way, hands flat and shoulders spread, it struck Yugi again how human its torso looked. The long neck extending from its shoulders only brought the uncanniness around fully, and Yugi’s insides squirmed a bit at the wrongness.

“I don’t like this. I’ve had enough.” The creature rumbled, and Yugi had bare seconds to spring back a couple more steps the creature raised a hand and tried to grab him. Thankfully the close quarters kept it from being as swift as it usually was, but Yugi felt a breeze as its sharp nails grazed by him.

“What the fuck - hey! What did I say about manhandling me?!” Yugi spat out, heart beginning to race as he clutched his arms to his chest instinctively, trying to keep himself a small target.

“You are healed, yes? The only good thing to come from those cursed objects.” The creature growled, the eye on its mask focused on him unsettlingly. “Then you are to leave this place. Like you wanted. Now.”

Yugi sputtered. “What - now? Like right now?!”

“Yes. I will take you to the passage to the surface and you are to leave, and never come back.” The creature said, reaching out to him once more as it spoke. Yugi was ready this time, and had enough wits to grab the nearest oil lamp and dance out of the creature’s reach.

“No!” was the first thing to burst out of Yugi’s mouth. It surprised him at first, but the more he thought on it, the more right it felt. “No, I’m not.”

The creature paused, its arm still outstretched.

“...No?!” It parroted, sounding utterly baffled.

“No!” Yugi said, wanting to stamp his foot in emphasis but refraining. “I just - I’m not done here.”

“Done?! What possibly - you are addled.” The creatures tone shifted from outraged to flat and accusing in the same breath.

Yugi bristled at the insult. “Wha - Fuck off! Don’t you dare say something like that to me when you’re so - “ he gestured to the creature broadly, uncaring about its wince.

“You are to leave, now.” The creature ground out, forcing words through grit teeth. It heaved forwards, only to stop suddenly with the sound of jostling metals. Its hips were caught in the frame, and it snarled lightly at the restriction with a hand pushing against the stone doorway.

“I said No! There’s so much I still want to do down here. I mean, it’s scary as shit, sure. And I know I escaped death by the scraped skin of my asscheeks, but - this is the discovery of the century!” Yugi widened his gesture to the rest of the room. “I’ve only scratched the surface of what’s down here, not to mention you! There is no way I can leave now, now that I know what I do.”

Yugi took to pacing a few steps, rambling his angered enthusiasm. “This could make or break me, in more ways than one, but  _ gods _ do I want to find out the secrets this place hides. I mean, my gramps is gonna be so jealous when I tell him what I’ve found! Or show him, maybe - once I figure out a few things maybe I can bring my team on, but the Guild is gonna want to get their grubby hands on everything. That’s why I need to figure out this place before they ruin - !”

He froze when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye, turning to see a giant hand hovering closely to him. The creature had reached out silently and cautiously while he was distracted, having stretched as far as it physically could to reach for him.

Yugi squawked and jumped backwards, back colliding with the furthest wall of the safe room. The hand closed over empty air where he had just been, and he heard the creature tsk.

“What the hell?!” Yugi hissed, almost flinging a rude gesture at the creature but holding back at the last second. “Are you even listening to me?!”

The creature grunted. “I  _ hear _ your nonsense babble, but I refuse to  _ listen _ . Those cursed objects have clearly corrupted your mind, and I cannot allow you to be in their presence any longer. You are delusional, and for your own good you must leave.”

“Fuck you!!” Yugi screeched, this time allowing himself the rude gesture in his outrage. There was no way the creature knew what it meant, but it made Yugi feel a bit better. “I’m not delusional!”

 

“Listen to yourself! You just put yourself through an incredibly dangerous situation, nearly falling to your death multiple times,  _ with a broken limb. _ For what?!” The creatures voice was raising in response to Yugi’s anger, rumbling in the small room. “A shiny object positively spewing out negative essence that you so wilfully ignore. No sane person would put themselves through such danger for no reason. You. Must. Leave.”

“I won’t! I’m not done here!!” Yugi gripped the cord around his neck. “I know, I just know if I leave now, I’ll - I’ll never get the answers I’m looking for.”

“The answers you seek are not ones you want to know.” The creature rumbled, pressing more against the doorway, but its hips kept it lodged.

“And who are you to make that decision for me?!” Yugi yelled. “What answers could  _ you  _ possibly have, you can’t even remember your own name!!”

The creature froze, Yugi fully registering what he had said after the words left his mouth, unable to take them back.

He let out a small gasp when the creature snarled from deep in its chest. It made one last grab for him wildly, but he was too far out of reach.

With an angered, hurt sound the creature began clawing at his direction, limbs knocking tables askew. It grunted and growled, teeth bared from under the mask where it was getting tossed about.

Yugi quaked when he saw the glisten of large, human-like teeth snapping in an animalistic manner in his direction. He flinched when the throne that he was behind was tossed aside by outstretched fingers, clattering into a chest loudly. He flattened himself against the wall, eyes wide as the creature set to destruction.

The creature raged, snarling out sounds more than words at Yugi as it reached for him, for any object nearby, anything as it thrashed. Chests were upturned, linens and pillows torn and shredded, stone gouged with claws. Plates and goblets were tossed, food and water sloshing along the floor carelessly in tune with the creatures voice.

It wasn’t until it elbowed a table and upturned a lit oil lamp that Yugi found his voice.

“Wait - no, stop!” He choked out around the swollen feeling in his throat, as the lamp and oil spilled onto a fallen linen cloth, and it caught ablaze instantly.

The light combined with Yugi’s outcry made the creature pause, and with a startled grunt it grabbed another sheet and attempted to smother it. That cloth lit as well, and the creature scrambled backwards out of the doorframe with fire at its fingertips, dragging the burning cloth with it.

Yugi saw the flicker of light and cloth as the creature tossed it somewhere out of sight, probably leaving it somewhere on the stone to burn out. The smell of oil smoke was thick in the air as silence abruptly filled the room, broken only by a few items settling from where it had all been knocked asunder.

Hand still clutching the cord the Pendant dangled from, Yugi’s heart hammered in his throat as he waited, watching the now empty doorway. He jumped when a rumbling roar echoed through the doorway, frustration and anguish clear before the sound dropped off as suddenly as it had appeared.

Yugi didn’t move from his spot glued to the wall for many moments of quiet afterwards.

 

* * *

 

 

The occasional soft rustle of pages being turned was the only sound in the room, seemingly loud against the stifling silence that had taken over.

Yugi glanced over the top of the book towards the doorway again, as he had every five minutes of the past awkward hour. It was still an empty, yawning blackness as it had remained ever since the creature had left, leaving Yugi with no clue as to where it went, or if it would even return.

In his dark corner, as far away from the doorframe as he could physically get, Yugi crouched with his one little lamp he had managed to snatch. In his lap was the Book once more. It had been easy to dig it out from under an upturned chest, the rest of the room still in upheaval.

It still made as little sense as it had when he had first tripped over it, but through determination and his rough knowledge of various ancient languages he had managed to decipher a few more pages and passages. Any headway he made he scribbled in his travel journal, trying to keep his writing as tiny as possible so that he could make the most of the small pages.

A great deal of the book seemed to be dedicated to rituals, and they required great sacrifice from what he could gather - sacrifice of what, Yugi wasn’t sure yet. But judging by what looked like blood splatters on more than one page, he wasn’t sure he actually wanted to know.

A sound startled Yugi from his distraction, his head jerking up to the doorway instinctively. It looked back at him blankly, the darkness absolute. The few flickering lamps that had managed to avoid the creature’s tantrum barely breached the stone frame, leaving the blackness beyond thick as if someone drew it in with a marker.

The sound came again, a scrape just outside. Yugi moved, already closing the book in his lap as if to get up and check what the sound was, before pausing. What if it was a trap? The creature just laying in wait to goad his curiosity, so it could snatch him up and drag him away finally?

“...You better not be trying to trick me. Because I’m not falling for it if you are!” Yugi said, one knee against the stone as he slowly rose up to his feet, unhooking the Pendant from his neck and carrying it by the cord.

There was no response, save for another scraping sound - no, a scratch. Just loud enough to be heard. It wasn’t familiar, the creature’s presence usually easily known because of the jingling jewelry upon it.

But after an hour of silence, Yugi was curious. And partially driven by guilt to try and make amends with the creature despite its outburst. He had been out of line first, and he owed the creature an apology at the least.

Placing the Book and the Pendant on a nearby table, he picked up his lamp and took slow careful steps towards the doorway. “I’m serious. Don’t try to suddenly grab me, because I’ll bite you if you do.” He warned, only partially joking. 

The scraping shifted, as if walking away from the doorway quickly, and chasing the sound Yugi quickened his pace till one hand was against the stone frame.

Sticking his head outside the door he looked around, but there was nothing there. The light from his lamp flickered in an unfelt breese, and the sound of clicking, shifting pulled away deeper into the darkness.

“Hey - wait!” Yugi was drawn outwards, the stone under his fingertips rough as he followed the sound, and left the safety of the room.

He ran after the sound, holding the flickering lamp aloft as his footsteps echoed loud in the empty chamber. He ran until he was short of breath and was forced to pause, hearing nothing but the rushing of blood in his ears.

“You… are an asshole…” Yugi huffed, hand trembling as he tried to keep the lamp steady. He sucked in a breath, holding it momentarily before letting it out in a rush in an effort to calm his breathing. He stood up, looking around him for any signs of the creature near him.

But when he saw nothing but blackness in all directions, his pulse started racing.

Yugi whipped around, searching for the telltale glow of the safe room, but there was nothing, not even a pillar or wall near him to gather his bearings. He couldn’t have gone that far from the room - could he? He hadn’t been running for that long, nor had he turned any corners that he could remember…

His hand came up to clench at the cord for the Pendant, tugging on it till it dug into his neck. “...Fuck, good going, Mutou,” He muttered.

A rustle behind him made him swing around again, now on high alert. He hadn’t forgotten the first time he had been left in the darkness. And he had no intentions of reliving the experience. There was nothing there, but Yugi knew this time that that blankness was misleading.

Eyes focused on the blackness, he took a careful step backwards, lamp brandished like a weapon. He had no idea if he was even retreating in the right direction - or if he even could retreat at all - but it was an instinctive thing. His skin crawled, the instinctive feeling of being stalked by something much larger and more dangerous than you thrumming in his veins. 

 

Yugi tried to ignore how the sound of his racing breath was slowly fading despite how hard his chest heaved. Tried to ignore how it seemed like the light of his lamp was weakening, how the flame fought and flickered pitifully as the darkness closed in around him. Tried to ignore how the bubble of light around him shrank more and more each second.

But he couldn’t ignore the large, wicked, and glistening set of claws that clacked against the stone just in front of his foot.

Yugi turned and bolted, trying to get somewhere - anywhere that wasn’t right there. But he knew it was a fruitless attempt, the darkness thick and swarming as a dense, moist fog despite the void of warmth. He kept his eyes glued on the tiny sliver of light before his feet, avoiding the blackness around him and dodging both shapes and random lumps of stone as swiftly as he could.

A sudden slash knocked his feet out from under him, scraping the heels of his hands as he tried to catch himself against stone, the lamp falling from his grip and skidding a foot or so away. Winded from the sudden fall, Yugi’s vision danced as he reached out to try and grab the lamp before too much of the oil spilled from it.

He cried out when something stamped down on his leg heavily, and Yugi had the fleeting fear that it’d snap all over again. Clammy, rancid breath washed over his back, and against his better instincts he looked over his shoulder through his sweaty bangs.

A  _ face _ was leering down at him, sockets empty and skin stretched and cracking, mouth agape and teeth bared in a hollow grin. Vision skewed by blond strands of hair, Yugi didn’t bother trying to identify what it was. He instead did the first thing that came to mind.

He screamed.

The overbearing weight against his leg lifted as suddenly as it had arrived, a great rush of air blasting across Yugi accompanied with a terrible roar. Ducking down and pressing both hands over his head, he huffed against the stone as the familiar cacophony of screams and cries echoed overhead.

Eyes focused on the discarded lamp, he flinched whenever a foot stomped too close for comfort, close enough to the lamp to make it jump against the stone from the impact. Sometimes it was a dark brown hand glittering in rings, usually it was some horrible armored claw or foot he didn’t want to focus on for too long.

Inching closer to the lamp, Yugi lifted a hand to pick it up, but it was suddenly dashed from his reach. He had a second to look up before he heard breaking pottery, and the meager light suddenly brightened.

The creature had crushed the lamp in its fist, and the hot oil lit from the last few embers set its skin ablaze. Yugi looked on in horror as the flames engulfed its hand, burning brighter than before and leaving smoke in its wake.

“ _ Begone, filth! _ ” The creature roared, mask and gold glittering as it charged once more, flames flaring bright and burning trails of light as it moved. It was a terribly magnificent display, shadows scattering and screaming in its wake as it chased them off with streams of fire in swooping arcs.

Eventually the screaming and the flames faded, darkness encroaching once more. Yugi shivered, managing to crawl a few steps before something warm and wet closed around his midsection and picked him up off the ground.

Yugi yelled! Curled his scraped fists and started kicking and beating at whatever had him - that was _ teeth _ pressed against his stomach! It wasn’t until he heard a pained grunt when he elbowed the lip sharply that he realized exactly what had him in its mouth.

“You could have warned me, you asshole!” Yugi hissed, drooping instantly as the creature huffed, warm breath rushing around him as his shirt started dampening from its tongue.

The creature only grunted at him, obviously unable to speak with its mouth full, and lurched forward in an awkward hobble. Yugi wondered why its gait was so lopsided, when he remembered the creature had just literally set its hand on fire.

“...I hope I taste nasty.” Yugi grumbled sourly, hands gripping the underside of the creature’s chin. He got something that sounded like a snort in reply.

If Yugi had thought that being carried like a doll was demeaning, he discovered that being carried like a snack was even worse. His legs dangled awkwardly, his shirt was soaked with monster spit, and the teeth digging into his chest and hips got uncomfortable fast. He settled for sharing his unhappiness by pinching at the creature’s chin, the creature putting up with it for a while before flexing its jaw pointedly.

The stronger press of teeth against his ribcage stopped the pinching real fast.

After a while Yugi was able to see the soft glow of the safe room in the distance, appearing as if through dense smoke. He started squirming again, tugging at the creature’s lips.

“Put me down! I can walk!” he hissed, and gasped when the creature did as he was told - and dropped him a good few feet from the ground. It was enough to make Yugi knock the back of his head against the floor when he smacked into it.

He cursed, cradling the back of his head for a few seconds as his eyes watered, before glaring upwards. It was still too dark to make out the creature’s shape, too far from the light of the safe room, but Yugi bet the creature could see him just fine.

“That was for the pinching,” the creature said, and Yugi let out an offended gasp.

“The pinching was for you drooling all over my clothes!” he squawked, tugging his shirt away from his torso with one hand as he got to his feet. “It’s so slimy, augh…”

“Being slimy is the least of your worries.” The creature sneered. “What were you thinking?! Leaving the safe room on your own - I knew you had a death wish, but I was not aware you were this suicidal!”

Yugi scoffed. “Says the one who was practically begging me to leave earlier! I’d think you’d be glad to be rid of me!”

“I have never said  _ anything _ about wishing ill upon you, I only want you to be  _ safe! _ ” The creature roared, loud enough to make Yugi wince.

“ _ Why do you even care?! _ ” Yugi yelled right back, as loudly as his lungs could manage.

There was a pause, Yugi standing firmly with his fists clenched at his side. Before he could open his mouth, the creature spoke.

“Because you are the first person to appear down here that has seen me at least the slightest bit more than just a monster. The first person to actually try to hold a conversation with me.” The creature’s voice was low, solemn, and terribly lonely. “The first person I’ve ever played an actual, friendly game with. Not a game to judge their fate, nor to measure their soul. Just a game.”

Yugi deflated. The creature’s sorrow was palpable, tinting the blackness. Not for the first time, Yugi wished he could see the creature’s face.

He shuffled, rubbing one arm with the other hand. “Look… I’m - I’m sorry. I’m not usually like this. I rarely fight with people. I mean - you’re the first… person that has ever gotten me riled up enough to raise my voice like this in a long time.”

Yugi huffed. “But I - I mean, I’m glad that you… like me enough to care for my well being? But - if you care for me enough that you want me to be safe, why do you still want me to leave so badly? Wouldn’t you want to, like, have any excuse to keep me around?”

“Yugi.” There was a slight shuffling, jingling as the creature drew closer. “This place is very dangerous. I know you are very clever, very curious, and you feel like you have something to prove. But I could not live with myself if something were to happen to you while you are down here, under my watch.”

The creature’s voice was soft, and Yugi swallowed at the gentle tone.

“Well… this place does give me the creeps but…” Yugi trailed off, looking over his shoulder at the inviting glow coming from the safe room. He sighed, going to scrub a hand over his face but stopping when he remembered his scraped palms.

“Look - just, let me… wash my hands, or something,” He said, turning to shuffle towards the safe room. He looked back at the creature when he didn’t hear it move. “And I want to look at your hand too.”

He was obviously dodging the topic, but the creature went with him quietly, and they both hobbled towards the light.

 

* * *

  
  


Yugi finished gently rubbing the gel into the creature’s hand, reaching for a clean looking strip of linen and wrapping it around its palm.

“I do believe I’ve made it clear that I will heal very quickly… and that you don’t have to go to such lengths for me,” The creature said quietly.

Yugi looked up at the creature when he finished tying the knot carefully. “Just see it as payment for when you wrapped my wounds up. Okay?” He patted the back of the creature’s hand, one of the few places on its hand that wasn’t covered in burns.

The damage could have been a lot worse than it was, but it was still pretty terrible. The shards from the clay lamp had cut into its fingers, but the most damage came from the burning oil. The creature’s dark skin had turned a bright red, blisters raised in places where the oil had collected and cooked.

One look at the damage and Yugi had gone hunting through the chaos in the safe room to find something, anything to clean the lingering oil from the creature’s skin. Through some miracle, he found an intact jar of what smelled to be vinegar, and another smaller jar of crushed aloe gel. Using those and the last of his current pitcher of drinking water, he had cleaned and bundled up the creatures hand despite its fussing and complaining.

Yugi was quiet as he cleaned up his own hands using the last of the contents of the jars and a few scraps of linen. He was sure they’d be fine - but he didn’t want to risk it. He glanced over his shoulder to see the creature looking at its hand almost in a daze, inspecting the careful bandaging he had done. The rings that had been on its hand were still sitting in a pile on the floor, discarded and blackened by sooty oil.

Yugi winced at remembering the angry red burns in a perfect circle around the creatures fingers.

He huffed, lips firming in a straight line. He set his shoulders, shuffling on his bottom till he was facing the creature. Yugi cleared his throat, waiting till he had the creatures attention.

He paused, eyes flitting around as he worked to get his words out of his mouth. “Look. I told you I’m an archaeologist, right?”

The creature nodded once, slowly. Yugi was sure it still didn’t actually understand what an archaeologist fully does, but at least it accepted that fact.

“Most of my family have been archaeologists. And gamblers, but that’s besides the fact. I have family members all over the globe, and friends, and I’ve seen amazing things, and heard amazing stories.” Yugi looked down at his bandaged palms. “My Gramps is one of the best archaeologists I know. He’s got enough stories for three lifetimes, and I’m sure that’s still only what he’s been willing to share.”

Yugi chuckled softly. “I’ve grown up with his fantastic adventures, and dreamed of going on my own. Of having my own epic story to share with my family for years to come. He’s even told me of some pretty fantastical stuff… stuff that ‘til now I never truly believed in.”

He looked up, eyes meeting the gilded one carved into the creatures mask. “Being down here - you, all of this, is my wildest dream come true. It was a bit overwhelming at first… I’d never actually thought that I’d experience something beyond uncovering some new ruins, or new pottery shards.  But now…”

He swallowed. “I have a chance… a chance to experience something unlike anything I’ve ever seen or done before. Something I could tell my Gramps about, and he’d be the one jealous about my adventure for once! I know it’s dangerous, and stupid - but I can’t just walk away from this.”

He carefully clenched his fist, heart thudding against his ribcage. “I know if I do I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

The creature was quiet, its masked face not giving anything away. Yugi tensed his jaw, waiting for a response.

“...You said your family are gamblers, correct?” The creature finally said, and Yugi blinked a few times before nodding.

The creature chuckled. “I can see that you inherited that aspect of your bloodline quite strongly.”

Yugi huffed, pouting and crossing his arms. Of all the things to pick up on from his heartfelt spewing...

“I will say, once again, that I do not believe you should be down here. It is dangerous, and even I with all my years in these tombs do not know all the secrets it hides,” The creature said, shifting to lower its head closer to Yugi. “I only wish for your wellbeing, and I am deeply fearful that I cannot guarantee your safety despite my sincerest intentions. I have already failed you multiple times.”

Yugi opened his mouth to retort, but the creature held up a long finger. “Ah - I am not done.”

It didn’t continue until Yugi snapped his mouth shut with furrowed brows.

“Yes, I have failed you, and I deeply apologize for that. But --“ The creature sighed. “Aside from physically removing you from this tomb myself, something that could be considered deeply disrespectful and you have made blatantly clear is against your wishes, it seems that you will do what you want no matter what I plead. And thus, the most I can do is devote myself to your safety… while you explore these tombs until you tire of them and return to your senses.”

With each word Yugi brightened, an excited grin stretching across his cheeks, until suddenly the creature leaned in close enough he could see his blinking reflection in the pockmarked metal.

“That _ is _ of course, hinging on the factor that you wish to explore this tomb purely for knowledge and not for selfish gain or riches,” It said, voice low and borderline threatening.

Yugi froze, eyes wide. He had almost forgotten this creature’s initial role in these tombs.

He swallowed, smile small. “Uh, well… mostly?”

The creature reared up, looking down at Yugi judgingly and almost condescending. “Oh? And what do you mean by… mostly.”

Yugi raced to find the right words. “Well like - yes, of course I want to explore this place for knowledge! You know I’ve said it’s an amazing marvel of history, and I can’t wait to see what's down here! But like - I’m not in it for any riches. I don’t even get paid much as a member of the Guild aside from grants for expeditions…” Yugi left off to mumbling, but cleared his throat when the creature tipped its head warningly.

“I’m not! I’m not gonna like, pocket some coins or something for a quick buck, gods no. It’s - if I report this place to the Guild before I get a good look at it, there’s a very good chance I’d get replaced as Head Archaeologist to this expedition. Someone with more connections than me that _ would  _ just be in it for the fame and glory. And that usually brings even more people with less pure intentions - and awful sticky fingers.”

“Gramps told me about his fiasco at Sagalassos, and I never want that to happen to me.” Yugi scowled.

“You still haven’t fully explained what you mean by ‘mostly’.” The creature reminded dryly.

Yugi shook his head, scrunching his face up. “Okay, okay. I’m not in it for the money - but if you wanted to be clinical you could say I’m in it for selfish gains, mostly with me wanting to explore this place to my fullest on my own before someone else comes in and messes it all up. But once I find all that I can about this place I’d for sure share the knowledge with the outside world, and finally have an amazing adventure to tell my Gramps about.”

He held his breath after his rushed rant, eyes squeezed shut as he waited for a verdict. After a few moments of silence, he peeked an eye open, squinting up at the creature.

It was looking away from him, facing a wall but obviously lost in its own thoughts. Yugi drummed his fingers nervously on his knees as he waited.

“I am quite sure you are aware… that tombs are never meant to be opened. Once they are sealed, they are meant to stay that way - for eternity.” The creature started, and Yugi opened his mouth only to not have anything to say back. He did know that.

“However.” The creature turned its head slightly to look at Yugi. “This tomb has been breached before - many times - so the seal has possibly been rendered all but moot. I can only hope that after all these years of my steadfast guardianship, the owner of this tomb has found everlasting peace in the Field of Reeds. Also…”

It paused heavily, Yugi tensing up in concern.  

“I am… very tired. And lonely. I have been down here so long that I’ve lost count of the centuries. I am aware that I was most likely intended to guard what is down here from the rest of the world for eternity.” It sighed. “I can only hope the Gods will one day forgive me for this weakness, in wanting an end to this.”

Yugi was a bit bewildered, and sad, but all this meant… “That means you’re going to let me stay and explore down here properly?!”

He creature sighed again. “Unfortunately... yes.”

Yugi cried out in excitement, arms pumped into the air so enthusiastically he fell over backwards onto the floor.

“However.”

Yugi shot back up, thoroughly disgruntled. “Oh, come on!!”

The creatures ears twitched, and its tone was amused. “I am deeply curious. How are you - one mortal human - going to survive against the creatures of darkness sealed down here that have attempted to take your life multiple times now, and will continue to do so until you are devoured?”

Yugi raised a finger, mouth open, and paused.

The creature continued. “And such, how are you to deal with those creatures that are an absolute danger to the outside world and that should never be released from this tomb? Or possibly explain them - or me - to your so called ‘Guild’ and Grandfather?”

Yugi pouted as the raised finger found its place on his chin in thought.

“I’ll… think of something.”

“For your sake at least, I certainly hope you do.” The creature sighed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for being patient for this chapter. I haven't had the time nor energy to spare to do much writing since the previous chapter due to paid work and the sort, but I'm glad I was finally able to at least get this done before an entire year had passed @v@  
> 10 chapters!! I've never reached this number in anything I've written before, it's astounding and I feel blessed by all of your support. Even after all this time I'm still receiving lovely and encouraging comments and kudos on this fic, and it really helps me feel proud of what I'm doing. Thank you all.
> 
> I will say now though that this time there will be a planned undetermined-length hiatus from updating this fic, for two reasons.  
> One: I want to finally do a proper revision/rewrite of the first 1-9 chapters of this fic. I'm certain with my current skills i could polish up this fic a bit, and with newer knowledge of Egyptian rituals and spells I can make a few things more streamlined and correct for the story's sake. I'm not sure how long this will take, but I plan on revising these slowly and then posting them all at once with a completed ch 11. This will take a while, so I ask for your patience.  
> Two: I'm participating in this year's YGOBB as both a writer and an artist! This is a big challenge for myself, because I am... not good with deadlines most days. But I have never participated in a big project like this before, so I really want to try! Even if I fail as a writer I'd for sure still be an artist on the project. The story I will be writing is something that I've had secretly in the works for many months as a plotline, and I look forward to finally fleshing it out!
> 
> All this said, again thank you for your support and patience. While this story may be on a hiatus, I will still be trying to create smaller oneshots inbetween for now to keep things busy. Please look forward to the next chapter and revised edition of Catacombs!  
> Also as always, if you'd like to see my art for this AU, please visit the #catacombsau tag on my tumblr! http://kudalyn.tumblr.com/

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for your patience, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please feel free to leave comments, even if I don't reply on this site- I read and love every single one! If you'd like a reply from me, please send an ask to my tumblr!


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